Judy Barbara Jones Cole

Judy Barbara (Jones) Cole born in Macon, Georgia in 1942, died July 5, 2024, at Forum Parkway Health and Rehabilitation facility in Bedford, Texas. The cause was complications from dementia.

Judy was born to William Henry (W.H.) Jones and Lillie Harris Jones. Judy graduated from A. L. Miller High School in 1960, then obtained a Bachelor of Science in Early Elementary Education from Georgia Southern College in 1964, followed by a master’s degree from Georgia State University. Throughout Judy’s 20-year teaching career she taught elementary classes, special education, and PreK students in Florida, Georgia, and Texas. Judy was a beloved teacher whom parents often requested once she taught their first child. Parents praised Judy for the substantial progress her students made while in her class.

Judy met her husband Steve on a blind date and they were married in 1971. Judy put her teaching career on hold to raise their two daughters Alicia and Ashley. Steve’s career opportunities took the family to Georgia, Florida and Oklahoma, finally settling in Texas.

Judy’s natural warmth and understanding of children often made her the neighborhood mom. Judy spent countless hours creating fun and educational activities for the kids that blended learning with playing, turning the Cole house into a favorite after school gathering spot for Alicia and Ashley’s friends.

Judy loved to travel, planning and mapping many family trips (all before Google). Over the summers the Cole family traveled to the southwest seeing the natural wonders of the painted desert, visiting old mining towns, and discovering the history of the old west or traveling the Smokey Mountains on the East Coast. Visiting Silver Dollar City, Rock City, Busch Gardens, and Disney World. She also never missed an opportunity to go to the beach. Most summers Judy and her family returned to Clearwater Beach, FL where they would spend endless hours in the ocean and would be treated to seafood meals and key lime pie.

Judy learned her love of cooking from her mother who taught her how to cook from scratch. Often when it was Judy’s time to prepare the holiday meal (or any other special occasion), she would fill the dining room table and buffet with so many different delicious dishes that there was hardly any place for the family and guests to sit. It was a lot of work, but you could see the enjoyment in her face as the compliments from the guests came flowing in.

Judy is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband Stephen D. Cole, her two daughters, Alicia Cole and her spouse Holly Kinney of Connecticut and Ashley Smith and husband Chad, and granddaughter, Charlotte of Texas; sister Linda Scarborough and husband Homer of Georgia; sister Susan Jordan and husband Ronnie of Georgia; niece Lisa Richardson and husband Pete of Georgia; niece Denise Dallmus of New York; niece Kellie Hinesley and husband Darwin Vaughn of Georgia; niece Stacey Hinesley of Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the charity of your choice.