Doral Hudsonpillar passed from this earth on August 10, 2026, at the age of 88. She was born on January 12, 1938, and was the daughter of Alcid and Iva (Leckberg) GrandPre. Growing up, she attended the Catholic schools in Concordia, Kansas. As a young girl, she loved playing softball with her best friend, Barbara. On January 12, 1956, she married Don Francis Hudsonpillar in Concordia, Kansas. Don and Doral were blessed with eight children: Craig Francis, Mary Le’Ann, Jeanetta Louise, Lenise Kaye, Denise Raye, Terri Renee, Donelle Jane, and Jason Tal.
Doral loved all her brothers and sisters and had a close bond with her sisters,Louise and Etta, her brother Charles, and his wife, Jean. Not only did Doral love her kids, but Doral also had a special place in her heart for her nieces and nephews. Her oldest sister Louise’s boys, Jim, Steve, and Roger, were likebrothers. On Friday afternoons, you could usually find Steve, Etta Marie, and Doral around a kitchen table, drinking coffee and having donuts, while solving the week’s problems.
Don and Doral brought their family from Concordia, Kansas, to Smith Center, Kansas, in May of 1975. They started an electrical contracting business called Don’s Electric. She and Don loved playing cards and backgammon and had a special love for playing pinochle with their daughter Le’Ann and her husband Bill. When they moved to Smith Center, she and Don became Redmen boosters. She cheered her children on in all sports and activities. After Don died in 1991, she still could be seen watching her son and his close friends play sports. Later, she could be seen at all of her grandchildren’s events and activities. She was always a true Royals fan. After retirement, she tried to watch a Royals baseball game every day, win or lose.
Doral was loved very much by her family and friends. In 2001, Doral met Marvin Dodd, her companion. They would go to K-State football games and travel throughout Kansas. Every Sunday was a journey for them, whether it was a ride out to his fields or a trip to Jiffy Burger for ice cream. They also took vacations to Colorado, Arizona, and Wyoming. Doral and Marvin had aspecial relationship. Even though they never married, they cared for each other very deeply, and he became one of the family.
Doral always enjoyed gardening and planting flowers. She loved making floral arrangements and could be found making corsages, boutonnieres, and floral arrangements for her granddaughters’ weddings. Doral especially loved holding and rocking babies. She and her family enjoyed going on family vacations and traveling to different states. She always looked forward to company visiting and cooking meals for her loved ones. One of her favorite pastimes was “going for a ride," whether in town or around the countryside.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Alcid and Iva GrandPre; her husband, Don Hudsonpillar; her infant son, Craig Francis; her infant daughter, Jeanetta Louise; her sisters, Louise Garlow and Etta Mayfield; her brothers, Harlan, Armand, and Charles GrandPre; and her best friend, Barbara Jager.
Doral is survived by her six children, Le’Ann (William/Bill) Woods of Wichita, Kansas, Lenise (Kent) Fuller of Smith Center, Kansas, Denise (Ron) Curtis of Rose Hill, Kansas, Terri (Burkie) Rankins of Wichita, Kansas, Donelle (Mitchell) Hughes of Smith Center, Kansas, and Jason (Corrina) Hudsonpillar of Hays, Kansas, and special companion, Marvin Dodd. She is survived by her 15 grandchildren, Erica (Scott) Campbell, Matthew Fuller, Alaina (Matthew LaBarge) Hughes, William Austin (Tanya) Woods, Toni Franz, Aurielle Hughes, Maegan Fossi, Nichole (Tyler) Arnett, Victoria (Ross) Coomes, Jessica“Raven” Rankins, Rayne Curtis, Anden (Amber Davis) Hughes, Jaclyn (Aaron) Olszanski, Kamryn Hudsonpillar, Kooper Hudsonpillar, and numerous great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, please consider the Smith County Community Foundation St. Mary’s Church Fund or the VFW Auxiliary Post 1141.
Visitation will be from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, Thursday, August 13, 2026, with a Rosary being said at 6:30 PM at the Simmons~Rentschler Mortuary, Smith Center, KS.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 AM, Friday, August 14, 2026, at the St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Smith Center, KS.
Interment will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Smith Center, KS.
Arrangements are entrusted to Rentschler Family Mortuaries, Simmons-Rentschler Chapel, Smith Center, KS.
To leave an online condolence visit www.rfmortuaries.com