Judy K. Bruce

Mrs. Judy K. Bruce, 64, died Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Baptist Memorial Hospital – North Mississippi. The funeral will be Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 2:00 P.M. in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Bro. Doug Shields and Bro. Eric Dahl officiating. Visitation will be held prior to the service beginning at 12:30 P.M. Burial will follow the service in Philadelphia Cemetery.

Judy was born on June 30, 1960, to the late Sarah Smith and Stanley Gerald Knight. A lifelong resident, she was a 1977 graduate of Oxford High School. She knew from a young age that she held a passion for hair and cosmetology, attending the Jeffie Lyles Hair Academy where she developed the skills that she used in her 40 years as hairstylist. Judy worked for Alice and Company in Oxford for 22 years until her retirement in 2012, leaving behind many beloved clients who trusted and adored her.

In her retirement, Judy cherished the extra time she had to spend with her husband, Ralph, and her beloved daughters and grandchildren. Each and every birthday and holiday were perfectly planned by Judy, who never missed an opportunity to celebrate her family and friends. She especially loved Christmas, when all the children and grandchildren would gather at her home. They enjoyed many years of elaborate Christmas dinners, but eventually decided to swap to pizza and wings, focusing on the extra time it allowed them to spend together. Throughout her life, Judy had many beloved dogs, whose companionship brought her endless joy.

Judy was a constant face in the crowd at her grandkid’s ballgames, where she cheered them on rain or shine. In 2022, Judy and Ralph set off on an adventure with no destination in mind. The two headed West, stopping at Four Corners Monument where they stood together at the corner of Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, and Arizona, before eventually ending up in Montana. While they experienced many beautiful places on the trip, Judy cared far more about who was by her side, treasuring the many wonderful memories she and Ralph made along the way. When they weren’t on the road, the two enjoyed going out to eat and many visits to the casinos, where they loved to play the slot machines.

Judy is survived by her husband of 19 years, Winston Ralph Bruce of Oxford, Mississippi; daughters, Beth Jenkins of Oxford, Mississippi and Hillary Chapman and her husband, Benjamin, of Water Valley, Mississippi; sister, Jerri McDaniel of Oxford, Mississippi; seven grandchildren, Grant Jenkins, Elizabeth Chapman, Emalee Chapman, John Hamm, Austin Chapman, Toby Chapman, and Noah Chapman.

Expressions of sympathy or memorial contributions in Judy’s memory may be made to Gary Sinise Foundation, P.O. Box 1858, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-9641 or online at https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate, or to Oxford Church of Christ Bible Fund, P.O. Box 1500, Oxford, Mississippi 38655 or online at https://ococ.org/give/.