Otis Hudspeth

Otis Charles (Charley) Hudspeth was born March 1, 1937, in Phoenix, Arizona, and left this life for heaven on April 1, 2020. In his closing time, He was cared for and supported by family and friends in Ponca City, Oklahoma.

Charley was the third child of Charley and Sylvia Hudspeth. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Clara Ann (Ballard – Hall) Hudspeth, three brothers, Jimmy Charles Hudspeth, Paul Ray Hudspeth, and Ira William Hudspeth. Charley is survived by his brother Richard Lee Hudspeth and wife Lois, three stepsons, James Nelson Hall and wife Sheree, Dennis Ray Hall and wife Mariann, Douglas Lynn Hall and wife Carri; 9 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren, in addition to many loved ones and friends.

Charley spent his first few years in Phoenix, Arizona, where he and his brother Ira lived in a tent and barn with their parents. His parents worked in the cotton fields and citrus groves west of Phoenix before moving the family to Prue, Oklahoma. Charley received Jesus Christ as his Savior in 1949 at the age of 12 at the First Assembly of God in Hominy, Oklahoma. Charley preached his first sermon at age 16 at the First Assembly of God in Wynona, Oklahoma. Charley’s younger brother, Richard, was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. The family moved to Hominy, Oklahoma, after living on many share-cropper farms.

Charley preached in revivals and sang with his brothers all four years of his High School. He spent two years in the Army Signal Corps and served as the Military Chaplain in the U.S. and Japan. Additionally, Charley traveled and played with the “Hit-Parade” in Japan. Upon returning home from Military Service, Charley preached in revivals in Oklahoma and surrounding states in the fall of 1958. Charley met and married Barbara Sue Vermilion during a revival in North Tulsa in 1960. She passed away in 1970 from Leukemia.

Charley continued serving in evangelistic work, traveling, singing, and preaching across the nation, conducting revivals from 1970 onwards. At a revival in Stillwater, Oklahoma Charley became re-acquainted with Clara Ann Hall, after her husband J.B.Hall had passed. In February 1979, Charley and Clara were married and began ministry together.

The call to minister to others was always on Charley’s heart and mind. Charley continued traveling as an evangelist, preaching in Churches, and conducting Adult Camp Meetings in the North-West Washington State, and the state of New Jersey. Charley traveled twice around the world, singing and preaching in Missionary Conferences in 39 countries.

Interspersed between revivals and missionary trips, Charley served as a pastor in several Assemblies of God churches. Charley pastored in Beggs, Oklahoma, Glad Tidings in Ponca City, Oklahoma, First Assembly in Flagstaff, Arizona. He pioneered Bells Gardens in Phoenix, Arizona. His final pastoral assignment was an eleven-year service at First Assembly in Newkirk, Oklahoma.

Charley leaves a legacy of love, compassion, kindness, generosity, strength, service, faithfulness, and, most importantly, faith. His wife and partner in ministry, Clara, went home to heaven in 2013. Charley’s life touched countless others around the world with the message of the saving and transforming grace of Jesus Christ, whom he served, honored, and glorified.

A memorial service honoring the life of Charley Hudspeth will be Friday, June 12, 2020, at 2 pm at Ponca City Assembly in Ponca City, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests, memorials may be contributed to the Oklahoma Assemblies of God addressed to P O Box 13179, Oklahoma City, OK  73113 and designated for either Sparks Youth Camp or Light for the Lost.,