Judy Thomas

On the afternoon of May 4, 2021, joy and sorrow met when Judy Ann Brandon Thomas turned the final page to her earthly story and began living her divinely eternal one.

Judy was born a Tuesday child, filled with grace, on February 22, 1938. The precocious only daughter of Hazel Pauline Tucker Brandon and Ollis Elton Brandon, Judy spent her childhood bounding around Hamlin, Texas with her two brothers, Mike and Rob, almost always with a book in her hand.

An avid reader with a ferocious love of learning, Judy excelled at Hamlin High School and graduated Salutatorian of her class in 1956. After graduation she headed south to attend Abilene Christian University where she received both a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Master of Education by 1965. Soon after she began what would be a prolific career in education, teaching middle school and high school in Levelland, Eula and Abilene.

During her time of higher education, Judy caught the eye of a young man five years her senior, Samuel Alexander Thomas. Sam’s playful, puckish personality tickled the always tempered, judicious Judy and it wasn’t long before they decided to embark on a lifetime of exciting, yet decidedly even keeled adventures together.

Their biggest adventure came in 1969 with the birth of their baby boy, Brandon Scott Thomas. Judy liked to say he wasn’t the billionth child born, but he was her one and only. Their red-haired, blue eyed explosion kept them laughing, energized, and certainly on their toes. Creativity and the love of cultural pursuits shaped their sweet family of three, with a love of all things music, art, and literature. As her little boy grew to school age, Judy found her way back into the classroom to continue to change the lives of many by instilling an appreciation for reading.

It was no surprise when Judy went back to school and received her all-level Library certification from North Texas State University in 1979 and her Library of Science Masters in 1980 from Texas Woman’s University. Always learning, Judy brought that passion and vigor back to campuses across Abilene Independent School District and Dyess Elementary through 1992. Judy inspired generations to read and be creative through her teaching, but also her professional peers to find new ways to bring education to life for their students.

In 1991, Judy lost her beloved best friend Sam to cancer. She knew Sam was always with her, but often said the loneliness for him would never diminish, no matter how many years passed. Taken too soon for anyone’s liking, Judy threw herself into her work, her faith, her passions, her causes. And she did it beautifully.

During her long-tenured career in public education, Judy was awarded the prestigious Siddie Jo Johnson Child Librarian of the Year Award by the Texas Library Association, served on numerous state committees for children’s literature and advocated literacy for local boards and non-profits. She began a career as an adjunct professor at Abilene Christin University teaching promising future educators the best of children’s literature. An expert of the subject in her own right, Judy was honored to serve as a founding Board Member for the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in 1996. Judy went on to serve the NCCIL in many different capacities over the years, most recently as a current Board Member and forever advocate.

Of all the awards she won, no greater for Judy was treasured more than being awarded her three beautiful grandchildren. Judy never wanted to wander far from the talented and lively bunch, moving briefly to Tennessee and then back to Texas to be with them. She took great joy in watching them thrive, seeing a continued legacy of love for art and culture bloom.

Of all the prestigious rooms she would sit in, no greater for Judy was the classroom, surrounded by students or peers, teaching, learning, leading. She took pride in finding ways to engage children in reading, encouraging them to look at stories with an open mind and maybe gain a new perspective.

Of all the award-winning works she spent time reading and teaching, no greater for Judy was that of the written word of Him. She poured over her bible, highlighting and writing, daily; she mused biblical teachings weekly with her spiritual group the Quartet and religiously served in the Women’s Ministry at Highland Church of Christ.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

It was clear that God prepared Judy to do good works and to do them well. Her servant heart, her delight in learning, her love for friends and family were quite simply unmatched by many. In the end, Judy wrote her own literary, living masterpiece riddled with vivid characters, obstacles, victories, and a magnificent ending of a woman’s life well lived, a lifetime of love.

While she will be wholly and profoundly missed, we take great joy knowing she is fully content in her eternal resting place with a book in one hand and Sam’s hand finally back in the other.

Judy is survived by her devoted son Brandon Scott Thomas; three prized grandchildren, Maddie, Ella and Sam; brother Rob and wife Vicki; brother Mike and wife Margaret; and a host of many friends, students, and colleagues who became family.

A funeral service will be held Friday, May 7 ^th at 3pm at Highland Church of Christ in Abilene Texas. Visitation will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature in Abilene, Texas.

The family wishes to extend tremendous thanks for the outpouring of love and support they have received over the past two weeks. Thank you for making Judy’s story that much more beautiful.