Dr. Ned Dudney, a founder of League City, dies

Dr. Ned Dudney: A member of the League Society Historical Society and a supporter of the newly opene

Ned Dudney, a physician who helped found League City, Clear Lake Regional Hospital and St. Christopher's Episcopal Church, died at age 84 Friday after a struggle with cancer.
A family doctor for over five decades, Dudney treated generations of Clear Lake residents before retiring from Texas Gulf Coast Medical Group five years ago. Even after retiring, he continued his civic work as a historical preservationist and a protector of wetlands.
It's been a long, happy ride," he told the Houston Chronicle when he retired. I have made many friends, and I wouldn't change it at all."
Born and raised in Magnolia, Ark., Dudney attended the University of Texas in Austin and earned his medical degree from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1949. He was an Army surgeon during the Korean War and later commanded a military hospital in Magnolia.
In 1954, he set up practice in a growing community in northern Galveston County not yet incorporated as League City. He served on the area's chamber of commerce, which led to work on League City's charter and a seat on its first city council in 1962.
"I've really, really enjoyed being in this small country community, " he later told the Chronicle.
But the community grew into something much larger, in part thanks to his efforts. He was one of the 1967 founders of an organization that would become the Bay Area Economic Development Partnership, and he was one of the physicians who pushed through the development of Webster's Clear Lake Regional Hospital in 1968. Over the years, he served on the boards of the League City State Bank, the Galveston County Appraisal District, Mainland General Hospital in Texas City, UTMB and the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners.
In 1990, he joined Texas Gulf Coast Medical Group, where he was known for taking the time to talk with his patients. In 2004, he finally retired at age 79 in hopes of playing golf and growing vegetables in his garden. His community work continued, however. He and his wife volunteered many hours at the Helen Hall Library and the League City Historical Society. They also became known as advocates for wetlands preservation and a friend of sandhill cranes who were losing their habitat to developers. Last spring League City renamed a nature park on Egret Bay Boulevard the Dr. Ned and Fay Dudney Clear Creek Nature Center.
Ned Dudney had three children with his wife, Fay: a son who grew up to be a physician like his father, Bob Carls Dudney; and two daughters who became school teachers, Gretchen Stolfo and Vaness Hamilton. He also had seven grandchildren: Rebecca, Joan, Damara, Drew, Miranda, Katherina and Sonia.
A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Christopher Episcopal Church, where Dudney was a founding member. The church is located at 2508 St. Christopher Avenue in League City.
Crowder Funeral Home in Webster is handling arrangements, and the family welcomes comments at http://drneddudney.blogspot.com.
Donations may be made to:
Dr. Ned Dudney Memorial Fund
UTMB Development Office
Administration Building, Suite 3.110
301 University Blvd.
Galveston, TX 77555-0148
ATTN: Betsy Clardy.
St. Christopher's Episcopal Church Family Fund
P.O. Box 852
League City, TX 77574-0852
The League City Patrons of the Park for the Dr. Ned and Fay Dudney Clear Creek Nature Center
300 W. Walker
League City, TX, 77573.