Judith Whelchel Smith

Judith Whelchel Smith, age 80, passed away peacefully on September 17, 2025, in Atlanta, Georgia, at the Orchard at Brookhaven Memory Care Center, following a 4-year journey with Alzheimer's disease.
She was born on November 23, 1944, in Washington, D.C. Her father worked for the U.S. State Department during World War II and the postwar years. After his passing at a young age and her mother's absence, Judy spent most of her childhood years with relatives, eventually finding stability and a loving home with Lourie and Clyde Boggs in Jefferson, Georgia.
Judy graduated from Jefferson High School in Jefferson, Georgia and attended Georgia Women's College (now Georgia College and State University), preparing for a lifelong career in teaching. In 1969, she married Sam Smith, and the couple made stops in Atlanta, Georgia, and Findlay, Ohio, before settling in Sam's hometown of Sturgis, Kentucky.
Judy taught at Sturgis Elementary School for more than 40 years. To all her students - if you had Mrs. Smith in a class, please know that you were loved. If you were a handful at times, she loved you even more when you needed it. There was nothing that made her happier than running into former students.
Even after retirement, she continued working with students and adults who needed extra help in reading. Her life's work touched thousands of children and families in Union County. She was an active member of the Sturgis Cumberland Presbyterian Church and was known for her kindness and belief in the underdog.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Sam Smith. Judy is survived by her two sons, Ben (and his wife Ashley) of Atlanta, Georgia, and Brad of Gaithersburg, Maryland; two grandchildren, Carter and Caroline of Atlanta, Georgia; and extended family and friends who will miss her deeply.
Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at the Sturgis Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The funeral service will follow at 12:00 p.m. at the church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to any of her favorite organizations, including the Sturgis Cumberland Presbyterian Church, the Union County Happy Pack, or the Union County Braves to College program.