Funeral services for Judy Kay Black McLerran were held on Monday, October 27th at Phillips & Luckey Funeral Home in Rockdale, Texas. The burial was at IOOF Cemetery in Rockdale. Pastor Terry Skinner, formerly of Calvary Baptist Church of Fairfield, officiated. Shelby Race provided musical accompaniment. Her son-in-law, Brad Galbraith, provided additional eulogy.
Judy died peacefully Wednesday, October 22nd, at Medical City of Fort Worth surrounded by family.
She was born on March 31st, 1952, in Texas City, Texas to Lou Ann (Grimes) and Finis Edward Black who were proudly married 70 years until Lou Ann’s death in 2017. Judy was the third of four children. They moved to Rockdale, Texas in 1953.
Judy graduated from Rockdale High School in 1970 and was a proud member of the Pep Squad for two years.
She married Kenneth McLerran on August 10, 1974, in the First Baptist Church of Rockdale, Texas. She was said to be the prettiest bride that many had ever seen.
The family moved to Fairfield, Texas in 1977 and raised a family there until 2017.
Her caring spirit propelled her to become a caregiver to the elderly but always proclaimed that being a loving housewife, mother and grandmother to her family was her true love. She never missed a game or awards ceremony for her children or grandchildren. Always enthusiastically cheering them on from the front row letting everyone that would listen know how proud she was.
She received a double kidney transplant in 2015 and by her doctor’s admission, lived a record breaking 10 years afterwards, a testament to the care provided in her later years.
In 2017 she moved to Granbury, and later, Hico, Texas to live with her daughter and family when she required additional care and love and most importantly to be closer to her beloved grandchildren on the family ranch. She took great pride in the opportunity to help raise her grandsons, watching over each of them from birth. She never missed an opportunity to hug and tell them how much she loved them.
Judy loved watching sports, first and foremost, when her children, Kurt and Kristi, or grandchildren, Patton and Will, practiced or played. Her favorite teams were the Fairfield Eagles, Rockdale Tigers, Hico Tigers, Kansas City Chiefs and of course, the Dallas Cowboys.
She loved her shows, the Young and the Restless, Amazing Race and Big Brother.
Judy always enjoyed spending time with her grandsons, watching the Wheel of Fortune with Will and having chats with Patton on the front porch.
Her canine companion, Lucy, was always by her side and greatly loved by Judy.
She was a proud member of the Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield for many years, and more recently enjoyed services provided by the Fairy Baptist Church in Hico, Texas.
She was proceeded in death by her father, Finis Edward Black, mother, Lou Ann Black, brother, Edward “Wayne” Black and brother, James Roy Black.
She is survived by her sister, Barbara Black of Rockdale, Texas; son, Kurt McLerran and wife Melissa of Fairfield, Texas; daughter, Kristi Galbraith and husband Brad of Hico, Texas; and grandchildren Patton Casey Galbraith and William Edward Galbraith of Hico, Texas.
Pallbearers were Brad Galbraith, Patton Galbraith, Jacob Carroll, Joey Bailey, Gary Tisdale, Kenneth McLerran and Kenneth Allen.
Honorary Pallbearer was Will Galbraith.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Kidney Foundation.
