We, the family of Judith “Judy” Louise Harrell, are left to honor our wonderful Wife, Mother, Sister and Grandmother in a few words (please forgive us if brevity is not our strong suit). While we don’t have her gift of prose (as anyone who received one of her famous Christmas Letters before Alzheimer’s took her gift away will soon realize) we will attempt to capture her essence for those who weren’t lucky enough to know her.
Judy entered everlasting life with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. We are grateful that He freed her from her Alzheimer’s ravaged earthly mind and body while she rested peacefully at her home in Caney City, Texas. Judy left her loving husband, six children, ten grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, her brother, several extended family members, and many friends behind to carry on her memory. She is no doubt rejoicing at being her spunky self again and thoroughly enjoying reconnecting with her parents, four grandchildren and many other relatives and friends who completed their own journeys before her. One of her favorite past-times was verbally sparring with her brother-in-law, Alfred Harrell, who won their race to the Pearly Gates…we hope you rested up, Alfred, because she’s free…GAME ON!
Judy’s story began 86 years ago in Dahlgren, Illinois where she was born to her late parents, Francis “Frank” and Mildred Ewald. Eight years later they had the audacity to throw a precocious little brother, Michael “Mike” (Margareta) Ewald into the mix. It’s a wonder Mike survived his early years what with Judy dipping his feet into a scalding hot bath and all. Don’t worry, she only did that once, probably because her mom made her carry him around until his little feet healed. He was able to serve in the Air Force later in life, so no permanent damage done…for those who were wondering about that. She made up for it in Mike’s later years, though, by pulling “all-nighters” with him typing his college class reports.
Judy married young and, being the good Catholic that she was, had four children in short order: Debbie, Scott, Lesa, and Todd. When that union didn’t work out, she found herself a “keeper” in James Harrell. Together they created the Harrell version of the “Brady Bunch” when they married just shy of 56 years ago, and his two daughters, Brenda and Bernice, completed our “Heap Big Tribe.” (Yes, Oral, we remember the painting you did on our pop-up camper….and the laughter and pointing from total strangers as we made our way from campground to campground!). Thanks to Judy and Jim’s parenting we were raised as one big (mostly happy) family in which friends and neighbors could never quite figure out who was “real” and who were “steps.” To this day we don’t think of each other as “steps;” we are brothers and sisters. That, friends, is a testament to their parenting.
Our “who’s who” roster is a bit long, so we’ll forgive you if you skip over it. By the Grace of God (and our parents), we “kids” became adults and made our own ways in this world. Debbie (John) retired from the Army and became a bookkeeper; she gave Judy five grandkids and six great-grandkids. Scott (Donna) served in the Army, as well, and then worked his way up to Senior Molder in a cast iron foundry and gave Judy two grandkids and two great-grandkids. Lesa spared her grandkids to keep the numbers even. Brenda has served her community as a sought-after hair stylist for over 42 years and gave Judy four grandkids and two great-grandkids. Todd (Michelle) is a top-notch auto mechanic and gave her one grandson. Last (but most certainly not least!) Bernice (Dwayne) is a highly successful domestic engineer who gave her two grandkids.
We remember Judy fondly (mostly!) like when she’d wake us up on school mornings doing a little jig while singing, “Big World…Little Adam,” “Ten Little Indians” or “Wake up, wake up you sleepy heads; Jump up, jump up, jump outta bed!” She played us well because some of us did “jump outta bed” just to get her to stop! We also remember:
Most of our friends came to our house to play and when one of them found herself “expecting” in high school it was our mom that she came to and who calmed her and helped her tell her parents.
Judy was right-handed so she used a mirror to teach her “leftie” kids how to tie their shoes.
Ever the pragmatist, she told her dyslexic daughter that she “could always design windows if she couldn’t get it straightened out.”
We always knew she loved us…and are fairly sure she even liked us, too (most of the time!).
She raised her girls to be strong women…and gave her boys a loooonnngg leash!
She was a good, “meat and potatoes” cook and made the best homemade Peppermint Ice Cream!
She taught us to treat others with kindness.
She had a good sense of humor. So many examples of this but one that stands out is her laughing at herself early in her Alzheimer’s journey after she inadvertently put an “extra zero” on the church donation check and had to get it back. (She taught Dad to write a check shortly after that!)
Her celebrity crush was John Wayne (we hope you finally get to meet him).
She loved Cookies-N-Cream Ice Cream, Peanut Brittle, Gingersnaps, Cinnamon Ball Candies and Popcorn.
We were blessed to have been (often unwilling) recipients of many pearls of wisdom from Judy, among them:
“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”
“Little minds use little words.”
“Always make your bed.”
“Once you know the truth you can’t lie to yourself anymore.”
“You don’t know what another person might be going through so don’t judge too harshly.”
“A place for everything and everything in its’ place”…no, wait, she didn’t say that…she lived it and, therefore, so did we! : / She seemed to like to clean (or it was her way of keeping the girls close on Saturdays) because in our home Saturday was “Cleaning Day” for the girls while the boys helped Dad outside. If you didn’t get every dust particle you were sent back for a re-do…ask Lesa how many times she had to re-dust the whole house while Mom was “Jitter-Buggin’ her way through the kitchen cleaning. (No idea what set her feet on fire!)
We think that now she would tell us to love one another unconditionally, always do our best, and do something amazing while we still can.
We will not say “Good-Bye” but rather “Until we are together again.” We love you!!
We extend a heartfelt “THANK YOU” to all who helped us care for Judy throughout her Alzheimer’s journey with a special mention to the Alzheimer’s Coalition of Henderson County, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office; Home Instead; Caring Companions; Cedar Lake Home Health & Hospice, and numerous independent Caregivers. We couldn’t have done it without all of you.
Judy will be honored with a service on April 22nd at 1:00PM at Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church; 2269 Co. Rd 1703; Malakoff, TX.
In lieu of flowers, please give generously to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund “in memory of Judy Harrell.” If life’s circumstances prevent you from giving of your riches, we ask that you give of your time and/or talent to a worthy cause of your choosing. If that is too much to ask, please perform a “Random Act of Kindness” for someone in need in memory of Judy.