Julia Stokes Sayle

Julia (Judy) Stokes Sayle, 84, of Memphis, TN passed away January 30, 2025 after a long battle with dementia. She was born in Memphis to Mamie Olive Fogleman Stokes and Robert W. Stokes on August 28, 1940. Judy was raised in Marion, Arkansas and attended Marion Elementary and graduated from Marion High School. She was honored to be selected Valedictorian, Homecoming Queen, Miss Marion High, and voted to 14 Who's Who Honors. Her proudest high school accomplishment was being selected to the Girls' All County Basketball Team in 1958. She graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1962 with a degree in Elementary Education, but quickly realized she could not support two daughters as a single mother on a teacher's salary. She completed secretarial school and became a legal secretary, but it wasn't long before she "saw which side of the desk made the money." She enrolled in night classes and graduated with her Juris Doctor in 1970 from the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at Memphis State University (now University of Memphis). As soon as she received her license, she began in private practice with Pope, Sayle, and Douglas until she and Raymond opened their solo practice, Sayle and Sayle Attorneys, where she served until her retirement. She also held a position as Assistance Shelby County Divorce Referee for 27 years. She was a member of the Shelby County Bar Association, Tennessee Bar Association, and Arkansas Bar Association.
Judy's civic and volunteer work included any and all Al Chymia Shrine committee available to wives of Shriners Hospital from working at the Shrine Circus, chairing committees, and assisting in many of its fund-raising efforts. She was an active member of Daughters of the Nile serving as the Queen in 1982 and played a very active role in all their activities. She was active in Carnival Memphis and was Queen of Ptah in 1987. She proudly served as Secretary of the Board of Trustees of Shrine School for Handicapped Children, Inc. She was a member of Marion United Methodist Church and later Christ United Methodist Church in Memphis where she taught Sunday school and served on various administrative boards at both churches.
Judy and Raymond loved to travel. They sailed on numerous Caribbean cruises and traveled as far as Russia and everywhere in between during their 31-year marriage. Some of their most cherished travels included making a loop from Memphis to Nashville to Atlanta to Tuscaloosa visiting grandchildren to attend their many activities. At home she was always the loudest in the stands at her grandchildren's sports events. She loved everything basketball attending her neighbor's daughter's high school games and University of Memphis and Memphis Grizzlies games.
She is survived by her daughters, Julie Robbins Molloy and her husband, Mike, of Marion, AR and Jo Ellen Robbins McMahon and her husband, Kevin, of Tuscaloosa, AL and step-daughters Linda Sayle Pack of Atlanta and Lucy Sayle Locke and her husband, Ben, of Nashville.
She also leaves behind grandchildren Jill (Jimmy) McPhearson, Michael (Joy) Molloy, Matt Molloy, Kylie (Austin) Johnson, Kate McMahon, Todd Locke, Clark (Nicole) Locke, Weston Locke, Jeff (Alison) Pack, and Steve (Elinor) Pack and great grandchildren Jules and Jude McPhearson, Max and Sam Molloy, and James, Mac, and Olivia Johnson, Maddox and Lucy Locke, Ben, McKenzie, and Piper Locke, Elle and Pierce Locke, Heaven and Jedidiah Pack, and Frannie and Smith Pack. She is also survived by her sister Charlotte (Dana) Earwood, brother Bob (Barbara) Stokes, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins whom she loved seeing at Fogleman Fifth Sunday lunches and reunions and hosting Cousin's Parties at her home.
She is preceded in death by her husband Raymond H. Sayle, her parents, sister Mary Stone Stokes, grandson Graham Locke, and son-in-law Dr. Louis Pack.
Services will be Saturday, February 8th at Elmwood Cemetery Chapel with visitation at 1:00 and funeral services at 2:00 and burial following. Pallbearers will be her grandsons and nephews. Dr. Jill Westbrook will be officiating, and Canale Funeral Directors directing.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to Daughters of the Nile Endowment Fund benefiting Shriners Children's or the charity of your choice.
Cemetery Details
Elmwood Cemetery
824 S. Dudley Street
Memphis, TN 38104
http://www.elmwoodcemetery.org/ Previous Events
Visitation
FEB 8. 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (CT)
The Lord's Chapel at Elmwood Cemetery
824 S. Dudley
Memphis, TN 38104
Funeral Service
FEB 8. 2:00 PM (CT)
The Lord's Chapel at Elmwood Cemetery
824 S. Dudley
Memphis, TN 38104 To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Julia, please visit our Tree Store.