Early on the morning of August 21st, Dudley was called to his eternal home.

A native of Louisville, he was welcomed into a loving home by his parents and two sisters. When he was a preteen, he and his parents were in a serious automobile accident. This experience impressed upon him the need to make each day count, an impression that never left him. A graduate of Male High, he was grateful for the high caliber of education the faculty offered that prepared him for college. He pursued degrees in physics which led to the diverse personas he had: Blue Devil, Commodore and Tiger (War Eagle!).

During the early years of his employment in North Carolina, his cousins invited him to a party where he met his future wife, Sue. At this time he also felt called to pursue a career in academia. The couple began married life in the Chicago suburbs while he worked at IIT. Southern gentleman that he was, he quickly learned that standing on the train platform in the early morning with snow swirling about him was not his cup of tea! His job search led to an offer from Western Kentucky University which he accepted and where he remained for the rest of his professional career.

Over the years, Dudley's approach to life was characterized by two sayings. If the situation was not of his making or choosing, he would say, "It will be interesting to see how this turns out" but when he anticipated an activity where he and/or Sue were the instigators, he would say, "We need to plot some strategy"! Over the years, this couple plotted a lot of strategy.

For his initial sabbatical he and Sue spent four months in England. He received an appointment from the Royal Navy to Manadon in Plymouth. There he and Kit Reeve became research colleagues and friends. Thereafter, he spent many summers in Plymouth, and Kit and his wife visited the States as well.

The second major need for strategy began when Sue enrolled in graduate school. The distance was not as far – Charlottesville, Virginia, but the time involved was much greater: four years. While he was very supportive of Sue and her quest, he knew four years was a long time to be apart. Not one to waste an opportunity, Dudley began investigating possible appointments for himself in Virginia. And he succeeded! He spent the second and fourth years of Sue's schooling in Lexington, Virginia at VMI.

Wherever the Bryants lived, church participation was a given. Over the years they served in a variety of capacities. For Dudley, the activity that brought him the greatest pleasure was church choir. And what an honor to be "drafted" into the choir of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) by his dear friend, Frances Hall. When he could no longer get to church, the choir came to him each Christmas for caroling. But, they did not come to sing to him. Rather, they handed him a song book and sang with him. What a blessing!

There are many terms that can be used to describe Dudley: interesting, smart, funny with an impish grin! His love of adventure gave him a zest for life. Family and friends were blessed with his loyalty and love. No matter the occasion, he had a story to tell. While some appreciated his ability to be exact, others found it exasperating! And frequently he had admonished students he was being very strict because some day they would be caring for him. Indeed, on numerous occasions that was the case and they cared for him well.

His survivors include his wife of 51 years, Sue, a nephew, Price (Vicki) Jacobs, a great niece, Amy (Eric) Magnus and their son, Benjamin and a host of friends. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, August 29th at 11:30 AM at First Christian Church with a reception to follow.

If you wish to honor Dudley's memory, a donation to one of the following would be appreciated: HOTEL INC, P. O. Box 1688, Bowling Green, KY 42102-1688 or First Christian Church, Capital Campaign, 1106 State Street, Bowling Green, KY 42101 (Indicate "Capital Campaign" in the memo line). The family thanks all who treated Dudley with respect by offering kindness and compassion.