Judy, a devoted mother, grandmother, and mentor is preceded in death by her parents Preston and Betty Swanner. She is survived by her daughter, Jenny Layton, her grandchildren, Mia and Elijah Parker and Porter and Marlowe Layton, and her best friend and caregiver, Christina Seals.

Judy was a kind, talented, and creative woman whose quiet generosity was exhibited daily through her interactions with others. A dedicated member of Highland Church, she touched the lives of many through her service as a Sunday School, Children's church, and Vacation Bible school  teacher. She wanted to share her testimony through acts of service, so she drove the church van picking up children that may not have had the opportunity to attend church had she not done so. Much of her life was a ministry of kindness and compassion. Although she never worked in music ministry, it was her favorite and any church member could tell you she could be found dancing and singing along no matter the song. Judy was a light to both the church and her family.

Judy was born in Meridian, Mississippi to Preston and Betty Swanner, but lived many places throughout her life, including Illinois, Kansas, and her favorite place of all, Paso Robles, California. In the late 1970's, she settled in Laurel, Mississippi and lived there for over 40 years. During her time in Laurel, she was a custom seamstress for Vintage Interiors, owned a small home decor business, Angels in the Attic, and even designed and hand embroidered a line of "church dolls" that were sold nationwide in businesses like Cracker Barrel. Not one to sit still, Judy spent many years as a cleaning crew supervisor for Office Pro and was part of the cleaning staff for Highland Church alongside her good friend and brother in Christ, Richard Bradford.

Judy was a woman of culture and instilled these values into her children and grandchildren. She loved trying restaurants with foods from around the world and was often offered more authentic recipes from restaurant owners because they recognized her enthusiasm and appreciation of their culture. Always looking for a new adventure, Judy made it a point to teach tolerance, acceptance, and open-mindedness to her grandchildren. She always viewed everyone with dignity and respect and her heart was full of love.

Judy always had a charisma and a way of holding herself that drew people in until they couldn't help but love her. Waiters, strangers, artists all found themselves falling in love with Judy until they became the best of friends. She will be dearly missed by anyone who met her.

Visitation services will be held at Highland Church Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 2:00 pm followed by  a memorial service at 3:00 pm.  In celebration of her life and bubbly personality, the family requests you wear something pink as it was her favorite color.

In lieu of flowers, please seek out a need in your community, donate time to mentor children, or leave a generous tip for your servers. Judy would have wanted it that way.