Judy Gail Spencer Wyatt passed away on December 3, 2018, at Piedmont Athens Regional Hospital in Georgia after complications from breast cancer. Judy was born in Valdese, North Carolina in 1941 to Walter Jay Spencer and Fleta Pitts Spencer. She graduated from Western Carolina University with a Bachelor’s degree and later earned her Master’s in Education from Clemson University. She was a life-long educator, who taught in the public school system for over 40 years in Greenville and Spartanburg County. Judy never stopped learning and never stopped teaching. An avid reader, Judy loved books and shared her love of reading by giving books away whenever she could.
Judy married Raydee Wyatt in 1961. They were married 50 years before Raydee preceded her in death in 2012. Judy and Raydee were some of the key individuals in helping to create and initially sustain the Stone Soup Storytelling Festival which is now the official Storytelling Festival of South Carolina. They were also recognized by Greenville County Council for their efforts to beautify the county by planting thousands of daffodils.
Judy loved gardening. Whenever she wasn’t passing along a book, she was sharing a flower or plant with a friend. She was an active member of Simpsonville First Baptist for many years while living in South Carolina, then attended Bethlehem Church in recent years when she relocated to Georgia.
She is predeceased by her sister Patricia Halyburton.
Judy is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Clark of Mauldin, South Carolina and son Gregory Wyatt and his wife Amy Wyatt of Hoschton, Georgia; as well as her grandchildren Walter Clark IV, Spencer Wyatt, and Mary Lyndsey Wyatt; and her siblings Sandra Bates, Kitty Wynnberry, and Walter Jay Spencer Jr.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, December 5th from 6-8pm at Mackey Funerals & Cremations at Century Drive, 311 Century Drive, Greenville, South Carolina. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, December 6th at noon at Graceland East Memorial Park, 2206 Woodruff Road, Simpsonville, South Carolina followed by a memorial service at 1pm at First Baptist Simpsonville, 3 Hedge Street, Simpsonville, South Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her honor to Bethlehem Christian Academy, 544 Christmas Avenue, Bethlehem, Georgia 30620, where in retirement she helped coach and judge Odyssey of the Mind students for the past several years.
Online condolences may be shared with the family at MackeyMortuary.com.
