Benkelman man killed in home mishap

BENKELMAN -- An accident Wednesday killed a 71-year-old retired Benkelman veterinarian, Dr. Don Hudson.

Dundy County Sheriff Rob Bellamy said this morning Dr. Hudson was replacing balusters on a railing on a second-story balcony, when he apparently fell. "His wife discovered he had fallen from the balcony," Sheriff Bellamy said.

Bellamy said Dr. Hudson was transported by emergency personnel to Dundy County Hospital in Benkelman, where he died.

"It was a tragic, shocking accident," Bellamy said. The sheriff said he was impressed with a "superb response time" of nine minutes by emergency personnel to the Hudsons' home six miles northwest of Benkelman.

Bellamy said the Hudsons live in North Platte, and are renovating the Benkelman-area ranch as a retreat.

Dr. Hudson was a veterinarian at the Twin Forks veterinary clinic in Benkelman for a number of years before moving to North Platte to work as a research veterinarian at the University of Nebraska West Central Research and Extension Center. He retired in November 1996.

Hudson had served on the NebraskaLand Days board of directors and was a member of Rotary in North Platte. He was active in a senior steer roping association.

Services are pending with Forch Funeral Chapel in Benkelman.