Judy Williams Mehaffey

Judy Williams Mehaffey, of Rome, Georgia, peacefully passed away on March 9, 2026, at the age of 87.

A kind and gentle soul, Judy was a talented artist, writer, and musician who shared her gifts with others while quietly making life sweeter for everyone she met. An angel on earth, she loved and listened to anyone in need, always offering inspiration in her reassuring way. Her deep love for her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was evident throughout her life, beautifully expressed in the words of her song “The Best of Hands.”

Born in Columbus, Georgia, Judy enjoyed a storybook childhood filled with family love and puppies, as her father raised champion bird dogs in the country. Her favorite memories centered on time spent at her beloved Grandmother Mary’s downtown home, a place she often described as her vision of heaven. After graduating from Columbus High School, she attended Florida State University to study art before choosing marriage and the nurturing of her two children. She later spent 19 years in Nashville, Tennessee, working in the country music industry, where many of her songs were recorded by notable artists including Ernest Tubb, John Schneider, Clinton Gregory, George Hamilton IV, Mel Tillis, and Nancy Sinatra. In her later years, she made Rome, Georgia her home and found joy living among friends at the Spires at Berry College Assisted Living Community.

Judy is survived by her daughter, Kim Elise Mehaffey Kilgore (Jimmy) of Armuchee, Georgia; her son, Lemuel Jay Mehaffey (Wendy) of Huntsville, Texas; grandson Major Mitchell Eliot Mehaffey (Renee); great-granddaughter Elliotte Marie Mehaffey; sister Emily W. Schneider; and nieces Mallin Hopkins (LaDon), Allison Schneider, and their children. A private family graveside service was held on March 11, 2026, at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia.