EDWARDS (Parker), Judith "Judy"
Judy, who died on February 11, 2024, was born and raised in Griffin, Georgia, a middle-Georgia town where following a traditional path would've most certainly been the easier way. But she dreamed of becoming a missionary, and set off for Wake Forest University to make it happen. Along the way she became a Phi Beta Kappa and met a charming Sigma Chi who swept her off her feet. Newly married and deposited in Midland, Texas, a foreign landscape where waking meant finding your imprint of sand in the bed, she became a mom. Two years later she welcomed a son. The demands of motherhood put dreams on hold, and while the women's liberation movement gripped the country, it couldn't preclude the heavy lift of someone having to raise the children. Finally able to go back to school, Judy earned a MS in Psychology from Georgia State University. Her marriage ended and her career in psychology and teaching grew more important. She came from a long line of teachers and carried on the tradition nobly. Always the impeccable student, she passed along a love of learning to all of the students who came her way. A voracious reader, she had a lifelong love affair with books of all genres. She collected innumerable friends from travels near and far, and without fail wrapped them into the intricate tapestry of her life. She enjoyed another marriage, forged at a time when both partners needed one another's caretaking and love and, although brief, it carried her through a difficult time. And then there were her three grandchildren, who arrived as the sparkling topper for it all. She loved them as only the best grandmothers can, celebrating each for their own individuality and unique gifts. She was independent, whip-smart, stubborn, curious, well-traveled and very pretty. Her quiet Southern drawl belied a determined woman who persisted nonetheless. She honored a spiritual quest throughout her life, and she loved and suffered, as do we all. And she would be the first to laugh at her early missionary aspirations and "good girl" self. She'd tell you, "If you follow all the rules, you'll miss all the fun," just like Katharine Hepburn did. She might also say, "I am the one who has to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to."- Jimi Hendrix. Judy is survived by daughter, Anne Parker Ballance (Joel Newman); son, Charles Walker Ballance Jr.; grandsons, Parker and Payton Ballance; granddaughter, Walker Newman; brother, Ennis Parker; as well as countless friends. Celebration of Life will be held on April 20, 2024 at 11 AM. Lunch to follow. Sandy Springs Christian Church, 301 Johnson Ferry Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30328.
