YOUNGSTOWN — Former Youngstown city Councilman Rufus Hudson, who died Saturday, is being remembered for his passion for the city and its people. He was 64.

“Rufus Hudson was truly a dedicated community activist,” said Mayor Jamael Tito Brown. “He enjoyed and loved serving as councilman for the residents of the East Side. His passion for Youngstown was evidenced in his work and advocacy in everything he was involved with.”

Hudson was elected in 1999 to a four-year term representing the 2nd Ward, which includes most of the city’s East Side, and was re-elected four years later. He couldn’t run for a third term in 2007 because council members at the time had term limits.

“Rufus was a real good man — solid, trustworthy, great sense of humor and always thinking about lifting up the people of Youngstown,” said U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan. “Simply, I just loved him.”

Hudson worked at Youngstown State University for more than 16 years, starting in August 1993, first as an enterprise counselor helping potential entrepreneurs with business plans and other preparations and then as marketing coordinator for its former YSU Metro College.

In 2008, Hudson sought the appointment to the Ohio Senate 33rd District seat that was vacated when John Boccieri, who held the position, was elected to the U.S. House. The appointment went to Joe Schiavoni, who served for 10 years and is now a Mahoning County Court judge.

After leaving YSU, Hudson spent three years as a math and science teacher in the city school district.

He was hired by Youngstown in July 2016 as assistant director of compliance and was still working there when he died.

He was a former Mahoning County Democratic Party executive committee member and a past treasurer of the Youngstown Warren Black Caucus.

Hudson received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and government from YSU and a master of business administration degree from Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas.

Artis Gillam Sr., who served the same eight years on council as Hudson representing the 1st Ward, died Dec. 6.

dskolnick@tribtoday.com