Judith Lee Deason, 74, died June 18, 2019, at Methodist Village in Fort Smith, Arkansas. She was a graduate of Waldron High School and West Texas State University and received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
Judi loved music and played the French horn, banjo, harmonica, piano and kazoo. She was quick witted, had a great sense of humor and was immensely supportive of her children and grandchildren. She was an advocate for equal rights and deeply passionate about the safety and well-being of the children of Sebastian County, serving as an attorney ad litem representing abused and neglected children and later Office of Chief Counsel at the Department of Human Services. She will be terribly missed.
Judi is survived by two sisters, Jean Padilla of Santa Fe, NM and Serena Holt of Plano, TX; husband, David Deason of Fort Smith, AR; six children, Ann (Randy) Ruehle of Van Buren, AR, George (Jeannie) Houston of Minco, OK, Sam Houston of Fort Smith, AR, Kerry (Kelly) Franklin of Fort Smith, AR, April (Stan) Watts of Muldrow, OK and Dana Deason of Broken Arrow, OK; eleven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Little and Helena (Lena) Ridling; brothers, Tommie and Joseph Ridling; and sisters, Jacqueline (Jackie) Ridling, Ruth Bliss and Marie Beaty.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 21, 2019 at 2:00pm at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Services are under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Judi’s honor to CASA of Sebastian County, St. Paul United Methodist Church or the Alzheimer’s Association.
To leave an online memory, visit www.edwardsfuneralhome.com
