Judy Harrell, 79, of Tooele, Utah, passed away peacefully in Salt Lake City, Utah, on June 10, 2024. Born in Meade, Kansas, on the Mull Ranch to John Victor Spurgeon and Donna Bell Spurgeon, Judy was raised in Gate, Oklahoma. She lived and raised her family in Ulysses, Kansas, before eventually moving to Tooele, Utah, where she cherished the beautiful mountain views.
Judy is remembered as a loving mother to her four children: Joline, Janell, John, Rita, and her beloved miniature dachshund, Sadie Mae. She was a proud grandmother to nine grandchildren: Cody, Erik, Kristen, Mathew, Derek, Brittney, John (Bo), Cheyenne, and Chase, and great-grandmother to 14 great-grandchildren.
Her passion for driving the school bus was evident in her dedicated service to Tooele County and Grant County Schools. Judy truly loved the children, as much as they loved her. She received many posters, cards, and heartfelt thank-you’s over her 30-plus-year bus driving career. She took great pride in serving her community.
A woman of many talents, Judy enjoyed painting, floral arranging, creative gardening, feeding and watching the hummingbirds on her back deck, decorating, rockhounding, going to the movies, and going out to eat. She enjoyed decorating for many parties over the years at the bus barn. However, her greatest joy came from spending time with her family and friends, laughing and creating cherished memories.
Judy was always ready to lend a helping hand, whether it was cleaning bugs off windshields, tidying up after meals, dog sitting, or providing the latest, uncannily accurate, weather forecasts. Judy was a gifted artist, known for painting backdrops for local pageants.
Her beautiful oil paintings adorned her home, the homes of her family and friends, and the walls of those who purchased her artwork. Each piece of art came with a guarantee of love and maybe a smudge or two of paint where it shouldn’t be.
Judy was preceded in death by her loving husband, the one and only Freddy Lee Harrell, her first-born daughter Joline (Zirkle) Ellis, grandson Atlee Nerheim. Judy’s legacy of love, selfless acts, kindness, sense of humor, and artistic talent will be dearly missed by all who know her.
