Judith (Judy) Carol Smith, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, succumbed to complications from Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare brain disorder, on December 22, 2022 in Fairview, Texas at the age of 80.
Judy was born to Judson T. and Mallie (Kilgore) Giddens on February 1, 1942 in Brownwood, Texas. She graduated from Brownwood High School in 1960, and received her bachelors degree from Texas Women’s University in 1963. On June 22, 1963 she married Wilson Paul Smith, her high school sweetheart, in Brownwood, Texas.
Judy enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom for her two daughters spending her time gardening, sewing, volunteering, and cooking for her family. Outside the home she worked as a substitute elementary teacher and taught her students how to do macrame and dance The Hustle. Most of her later working life was spent as an executive assistant at EDS where she was an invaluable employee and friend to many and retired in 2007. She was an animal lover who spoiled all the family pets, and many wild animals seemed to seek out her kindness by showing up on her front porch.
Judy truly shone her brightest as ‘Gran’ to her two grandsons. Ever the entertainer, she never passed up an opportunity to babysit them and kept them busy by doing crafts, decorating cookies, watching movies, stuffing them full of snacks, and taking them on adventures to parks, playgrounds, and Chuck E. Cheese.
Always quick with a smile and a laugh, Judy never wanted to be the focus of attention but preferred working in the background with a kind word and a servant’s heart, helping to make others feel comfortable. Although PSP gradually dimmed her enthusiasm, she continued to smile and laugh with her family, friends, and caregivers for as long as possible.
Judy is survived by her husband of 59 years, Wilson Smith of Fairview, Texas; daughter, Sharon Smith of Jupiter, Florida; daughter, Anita Pittman and husband, Michael of Dallas, Texas; grandsons, Rex and David Pittman, and many loving family members, business associates, and friends. She was preceded in death by her mom and stepfather, Harvey Hickman, and her stepbrother, Harvey M. (Bud) Hickman.
A funeral service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 28, 2022 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home in Allen, Texas. The service will also be live streamed at TJMfuneral.com on Judy’s obituary page by clicking on the following link: https://celebrationoflife.tv/blog/judy-carol-smith. Interment will be at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery with no graveside service. The family will receive guests for a visitation from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27, at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to fund PSP research through CurePSP at www.psp.org.