05/25/2025
So sad to report the passing of our namesake last evening. She was such a vital part of our community for so many years. We at the Center will continue to honor her legacy. Below is the obituary provided by her family.
Obituary for Catherine Agness Martin Hudgins
Trailblazing Fairfax County Leader
The following obituary was issued by the Hudgins family on May 25:
Catherine Agness Martin Hudgins, a trailblazing public servant and longtime advocate for equitable transit and community development, passed away on Saturday May 24, 2025, at the age of 81. Known to many as Cathy, she served as the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors for the Hunter Mill District from 2000 until her retirement in 2019, leaving a profound legacy on the region’s transportation infrastructure and civic life.
Born in 1944 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, Hudgins dedicated her life to public service and community empowerment. After earning a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arkansas, she moved to Washington, DC where she met her husband Willie L. Hudgins, Jr., now deceased. The two eventually moved to Reston, Virginia, in 1969, becoming some of the first residents of the highly successful planned community. She later earned a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University.
Before her career in public office, she worked for twelve years in the private sector as a programmer, consultant, and analyst for AT&T. Hudgins’ public service began with the Democratic National Committee, where she served with the Virginia Democratic National Committee as committeewoman. Later she served as Secretary of the Fairfax County Electoral Board. She became Chief of Staff for the Board of Supervisors for the Chair, the Honorable Katherine Hanley, before being elected to the Board herself in 1999.
Hudgins made history as the first female African American and non-white person elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, representing the Hunter Mill District in 1999. Her 20-year tenure was marked by tireless advocacy for the county’s growing diversity, affordable housing, and sustainable community development. During her multiple terms as a Supervisor, she served as the Chair of the Board's Human Services and Housing and Community Development Committees, and was a member of the Governing Board for the Initiative to Prevent and End Homelessness.
During her two decades of leadership, she championed affordable housing, diversity, and sustainable growth, but her most enduring impact was in the realm of transportation.
Hudgins was a principal director for Virginia on the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) Board. She served 11 years on the WMATA Board of Directors, including serving as WMATA Board Chairman in 2011-2012 where she spearheaded several changes to improve WMATA's governance and oversaw a process in which the transit agency adopted its first-ever bylaws and modernized code of ethics. In this capacity, she was instrumental in shaping regional transit policy and advocating for investments that would transform mobility across Northern Virginia and the greater Washington metropolitan area.
Among her most celebrated achievements was her critical and pivotal role in bringing the Silver Line Metrorail service to Tysons Corner, Reston, and Dulles International Airport. Hudgins was a tireless leader and consensus-builder throughout the multi-decade planning and construction of the Silver Line, the largest expansion of the Metrorail system in more than two decades. Her vision and advocacy ensured that the project not only became a reality but also served as a catalyst for economic growth and transit-oriented development in the Dulles Corridor. At the opening of the Silver Line’s first phase in 2014, Hudgins reflected on the magnitude of the achievement, stating: “Today is the culmination of many years of planning and implementing one of the largest infrastructure projects in Fairfax County. It is the beginning of a new Dulles Corridor and more economic growth for Fairfax County”. She recognized that the Silver Line was a “game changer for Fairfax County economically and it will improve the quality of life for many families in our community.”
Beyond transportation, Hudgins was a passionate advocate for human services and affordable housing, chairing the Board’s Human Services and Housing Committee and leading efforts such as the creation of the Southgate Community Center. The center remains as one of her most enduring legacies. Hudgins led efforts to secure funding, negotiate land leases, and shape programming, ensuring the center became a vibrant hub for the community. In recognition of her impact, the facility was renamed the Cathy Hudgins Community Center at Southgate in 2021.
Throughout her career, Hudgins was known for her deep commitment to constituent service, her ability to find solutions for those in need, and her vision for inclusive, equitable neighborhoods. She served on numerous regional boards and commissions, advocating for sustainable transportation and land use, and was a respected leader in the Democratic Party. Her commitment to improving the lives of those in often-overlooked neighborhoods was widely recognized and celebrated by colleagues and constituents alike.
During her years of public service, Hudgins also served on many boards, including, the Virginia Association of Counties, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, COG’s National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC), and Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC).
She also received many awards and honors over the years, including the Community Builder's Award from the Community Preservation and Development Corporation in 2012; the Elizabeth and David Scull Metropolitan Public Service Award from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments in 2012; Public Official of the Year from the Virginia Transit Association in 2010; the Phyllis Campbell Newsome Public Policy Leadership Award from the Center for Nonprofit Advancement in 2006; an Honoree Award from the Fairfax County Branch, NAACP in 2003; the Mental Health Community Contributor Award from the Fairfax-Falls Church Mental Health Advocacy Community in 2003; and the Wayne F. Anderson Award for Distinguished Public Service from George Mason University in 2002. Most recently on May 16th, 2025, she was the latest recipient of the Katherine Hanley Public Service Award presented by Leadership Fairfax.
Hudgins is survived by her sister Delores Muse, her two sons Michael Hudgins and Tony Hudgins, her daughter-in law Sarah Wolf, and her two granddaughters Ellis Hudgins Wolf and Collins Hudgins Wolf. Due to her work and commitment, she leaves behind a strong and thriving community that continues to benefit from her vision and dedication. Her legacy endures in the trains that now connect Tysons, Reston, and Dulles Airport to the heart of the region, and in the vibrant, inclusive neighborhoods she helped to build. That legacy will continue to live on in the vibrant, diverse communities she helped build and the countless lives she touched through her unwavering dedication to public service.
