Chris Dudley

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Christopher Lee Dudley, beloved father, son, brother and uncle passed away on July 10, 2024, in Plano, Texas.  He was born in Gainesville, Texas, on January 11, 1971, to Donald and Jane Dudley.  He was the youngest of three sons and the baby brother to Robert (Bobby) and Jeff Dudley.

Chris graduated from Gainesville High School in the Class of 1989, and remained a lifelong Fighting Leopard.   Chris was a member of the baseball and football teams, and was affectionately known by his teammates as “Cubby.”  He was best known for his anecdotal advice, entertaining stories and words of encouragement to his teammates. Chris later attended Vernon Junior College and Texas Tech University.

Nothing brought Chris more joy than spending time with family, especially his greatest achievement, his daughter Ariana.  He also cherished time with his nieces and nephews, and was often seen cheering them on at a variety of sporting events.  Chris loved the holidays, especially Thanksgiving.  He treasured memories of duck hunting with his nephews over the holiday, as well as, time with family gathered together.

Chris had an insatiable thirst for knowledge and was the unofficial King of Trivia.  His amazing abilities to retain even the most minute facts made him a formidable opponent in any discussion.  He devoured current events and politics and was more than happy to share his opinions and debate the facts with most of his social media friends.  He was an amateur herpetologist and often fielded questions from friends and family asking him to identify various snakes and insects.  Chris was passionate about the University of Alabama football, Texas Rangers Baseball, and his hometown Gainesville Leopards.

Despite facing life’s challenges, Chris remained determined and did not let his struggles hold him back.  He used social media to stay connected with his friends and maintain a sense of community.  Despite his deteriorating physical abilities, Chris continued to push forward and face each day with resilience and perseverance.  His determination and positive attitude were truly inspiring to those around him.

Chris and his family were greatly impacted by organ donation.  Chris was a strong advocate for organ donation and believed in the importance of giving the gift of life to others.  He often shared his own story and encouraged others to consider becoming an organ donor, emphasizing the impact that one person’s decision could have on saving multiple lives.  His own selfless act of becoming an organ donor provided the gift of life to several families.  In honor of Chris’s commitment to organ donation, the family requests that instead of flowers, please consider becoming organ donor or making a donation to an organ donation center of their choice.

Chris is survived by his daughter, Ariana Yarbrough and her boyfriend Robie Dunmeyer, mother, Jane Dudley, his brother and sister in-law, Jeff and Lorene Dudley and children, Malyn, Blair and Tate Dudley, and sister in-law, Michelle Dudley.  Also left to cherish his memory are nieces and nephews, Jason and Libby James, and their children, Madyson, Jaxon and Hudson; Christopher and Shelby Dudley, and children, Mason and Beau; Drs. Janey Nicole and Joel DeLeeuw; Jeff and Megan Cowley; Kristen Jones and sons, Tristan, Adam and Kale; Matt and Kay Cowley, and son, Jack.  He is also survived by uncles and aunts, Ron and Gae Dudley, Jimmy and Gail Dudley, and Steve and Jill Dudley and special cousin, Jamie Harvey.   Chris is also survived and cherished by a host of Alabama and New Jersey cousins and friends.

Chris was welcomed into heaven by his father, Donald J. Dudley, and his brother, Robert (Bobby) Dudley.  His grandparents, Robert and Hallie Cramond, and William and Lucy Dudley and nieces and nephew, Faith, Erin and Andrew Dudley.

He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.  May his memory live on in the hearts of his loved ones, and may he rest in eternal peace.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024, at First United Methodist Church, Gainesville, TX, with visitation to follow.  You may register your condolences online at www.geojcarroll.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Learning Tree at FUMC, Gainesville.

Please place flower orders directly through a local florist.

https://www.geojcarroll.com/florists