Monica Kay Hudson, 87, of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa, passed away on Monday, August 31, 2026, surrounded by her sons at a local hospital. In accordance with her wishes, cremation has taken place, and a private graveside service will be held at a later date.

Monica was born on April 2, 1939, in Gillett Grove, Iowa, the daughter of Leo and Wanda (Prentice) Stoermer. She graduated from Gillett Grove High School and went on to attend Iowa State University, where she was one of only three women to graduate in 1961 with a degree in Industrial Administration.

Strong, independent, intelligent, and determined, Monica was a trailblazer long before women commonly held such roles in the business world. She believed women were capable of forging their own paths, and she lived her life as proof of that belief. In 1968, Monica took the bold step of establishing her own business, Dividend Tax Service. Through hard work, perseverance, and a sharp business mind, she built the company into a successful and respected business. Never one to stop learning or challenging herself, Monica went on to earn the distinction of Enrolled Agent with the Internal Revenue Service. She proudly operated Dividend Tax Service for nearly four decades before selling the business in 2005.

Monica approached retirement with much the same curiosity and independence that defined her professional life. She enjoyed needlepoint and was an active member of the Senior Center bridge group, as well as an avid duplicate bridge player. Her keen mind never truly retired, and she continued to closely follow and manage her investments, always staying informed and engaged in the financial world she had understood so well throughout her life.

While Monica’s accomplishments were many, her greatest legacy can be found in the family she leaves behind and in the example she set for those who knew and loved her. She was a woman who knew her own mind, wasn’t afraid to take chances, and created opportunities at a time when they were not always readily available to women. She worked hard for what she achieved and, in doing so, quietly helped pave the way for the generations of women who followed her.

Those left to cherish Monica’s memory include her sons, Jeff and his wife Margaret Hudson of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, and Brad Hudson of Ankeny, Iowa; grandchildren, Allison Hudson Gillespie and her husband Trevor, Morgan Hudson, Adam Hudson, Blake Hudson and his wife Brooke, and Joseph Hudson; great-grandchildren, Ellie and Sullivan; her brother, Edward and his wife Connie Stoermer; and sister-in-law, Janice Stoermer.

Monica was preceded in death by her parents, Leo and Wanda Stoermer; her brother, Ernest Stoermer; and her daughter-in-law, Becky Hudson.

Monica lived 87 years with strength, determination, and an unmistakable independent spirit. She was ahead of her time, unafraid to forge her own path, and proud of the life she built. Her strength and pioneering spirit will remain an enduring part of her legacy and an inspiration to the family she loved and the generations who follow her.