S.R. "Ted" Hudson was reared in Arp, Texas, just twenty miles from our location, where he spent the years of his youth.  He moved to Houston, where he finished school and then attended the University of Houston.  He served his country in World War II and the Korean Conflict.  At age forty, he joined some friends in a Houston-based Mexican restaurant chain that spread throughout the southwest.

His boyhood dream came true in 1968, when he moved back to east Texas to open a Mexican food restaurant on 5th Street in Tyler.  His first restaurant seated fifty-four people, and then later expanded to seat two hundred fifty-four.  In 1969, he opened another restaurant in Longview.

During the years in the restaurant business, Ted served as President of the East Texas chapter of the Texas Restaurant Association, and director of the state-wide organization.  He believed that one should help improve the performance of one's industry.  In 1975, Ted was selected by his peers as the Restauranteur of the Year in east Texas.

In 1982, he sold his interest in the restaurant chain that he helped develop and, for a few years, was in retirement.  In 1986, however, he purchased Papacita's of Tyler, and came back to his first love - the restaurant business, which he enjoyed until his passing in November 2000.

Lynn Lumley, Ted's daughter, grew up in the business under her father's supervision.  She has earned two college degrees and taught in a local school for three years.  After a stint in the Navy, Roger Lumley (Lynn's husband) graduated from Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University) and taught school locally for twelve years.  Roger then joined Ted as Manager of Papacita's in preparation of Ted's retirement.  Roger and Lynn are active members in the Texas Restaurant Association, which keeps them up-to-date on all requirements and issues needed to run a restaurant.  Roger currently serves as President of the East Texas chapter in addition to the State Board.

In 2019 Roger & Lynn’s eldest daughter, Mara Lumley Davidson, took over the business. Roger, Lynn, and their children, Mara, Lauren, and Warren, are pleased to carry on the tradition of serving the community that supports them and promise to maintain the level of excellence in food quality and service that was Ted's trademark.