Judy Keys

Evangelist Judy Chapman Keys was born on November 24,1967 to the union of Bethel and Canary Bond Chapman. She was the 17th of their 19 children. She was born one hour and 24 minutes prior to her identical twin sister, Trudy, with whom she was inseparable. Judy was reared in a Oneness of God, Jesus’ Name, Apostolic-Pentecostal, and holiness home. Her parents instilled in her the fear of God, respect for elders, love of family, loyalty of friends, a strong work ethic, and good citizenship. Resulting from the sound spiritual teaching of her parents, Judy underwent her spiritual rebirth at the tender age of 15 years old. During a tent revival in August 1983, the Word of God moved her to repentance. Having been persuaded in her heart about her belief in the Jesus, that Word of God, she was baptized in water and filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost, under the auspices of Elder Charles Fields, pastor of Bible Way House of Prayer in Mulberry Grove, Illinois.

Evangelist Judy Keys received her primary, middle, and high school education from the Mulberry Grove Community Unified School District 1 of Mulberry Grove, Illinois, graduating from high school in June 1985. After which, she matriculated through the School of Business at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois on December 11, 1997. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration, majoring in Business Management.

In July 1995, a mutual friend introduced Judy to Mr. Stacey Leroy Keys. They were eventually joined in holy matrimony on May 12, 2007. Judy was a doting wife. Throughout Judy and Stacey’s marriage, she showed unwavering commitment to Stacey and loved him immensely. That love was extended to Stacey’s family, cultivating a peaceable relationship with all other members of the Keys’ family. As a wife, she assured that all the comforts of home were in place for a well-managed and more importantly, loving home environment. Further, Judy enjoyed traveling when time afforded the opportunity. Sparking the same interest in Stacey, they trekked together internationally to Jamaica and Toronto-Ontario, Canada, as well as to several national destinations—Buffalo, New York, Miami, Florida, San Diego, California, Charleston, South Carolina, Port Aransas, Texas, and of course to their respective homes in Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri.

At a very early age, Judy’s parents instilled in her a very strong work ethic in their home. Judy carried this training over to her early work life, starting with her first community service job at the age of 14 years old. Initially, Judy was employed in various clerical roles in college. However, after graduating from college, the Lord favored Judy in the mid-1990s, to walk through a door that would lead to a long career, employed in information technology roles which included: Senior Business Systems Analyst, Senior Business Analyst | Certified Scrum Master, Supply Chain IT Analyst, Senior Business Consultant, Software Quality Control/Testing Analyst, and Project Manager, to name a few. To maintain this level of success, Judy procured several information technology-related certifications including: Certified Scrum Product Owner, Advanced Certified Scrum Master, and ITIL® v3 Foundations in IT Service Management.

Judy was a woman of many talents. As an exceptionally gifted writer, she applied her word-crafting skills to compose a portfolio of synopses and Sabbath School lessons on a variety of religious topics. She was a firm believer in professional empowerment and self-development, having amassed six certifications with the American Writers and Authors Institute (AWAI), a premier organization in the field of professional copywriting training. The certifications included: Brand Messaging Strategist, Sales Enablement Copywriting Specialist, Lead Generation Specialist, Customer Retention Specialist, Site Content Audit Specialist, and Social Media Specialist. Judy was blessed to work briefly as a Free Lance Copywriter, using her copy writing training for projects to which she applied, as well as to others for which she was sought to participate.

Judy was very passionate about caring for other people, burning the midnight oil to research natural health remedies that would address both minor and major health issues experienced by people whom she loved. She truly embodied the spirit of Romans 12:10, which mandates: “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.” As an alternative health enthusiast, Judy earned a certification as a Certified Juice Therapist from the Juice Guru Institute on April 17, 2024, learning to blend juices that would not only be delicious but that would also provide medicinal benefits. As a practice, she purchased and juiced a wide variety of fruit and vegetables to gift, free of charge, from her heart and kitchen to that of others for meal supplementation or simply, providing them as refreshing and healthy beverages. She purposely encouraged others to adopt juice therapy and wellness practices for themselves.

Judy’s culinary talents were par excellence. Having learned how to cook from the instructions of her mother as a young teenager, combined with hands-on training from older siblings, Judy became quite skilled at presenting a variety of dishes that would satisfy any palette. She was given to the hospitality of the Saints, assuring that many who were ill should receive homemade, nourishing soups and other meals made with love by her hands and heart to help restore their health and well-being. Judy put her cooking skills to use as the head of the kitchen staff at Deliverance Temple in Jesus’ Name and was always found working in a way that proved her love to the Saints.

She had a gift of giving. It was commonplace to witness Judy furnishing the necessity of the Saints with everything—finances, food, clothing, and lodging in her home.  Like Tabitha of Acts Chapter 9, Judy was a woman of great almsgiving, charitable deeds, and innumerable good works. Her love was without question. In fact, Judy often stated, privately and publicly: “I really love the Saints. That’s why I do what I do.” Again, Judy was a warm-hearted woman, with a great sense of humor. Her giving heart and hands delivered the most wonderful and unexpected gifts. She was very classy in all her ways, blessing others with high-quality gifts, warm hospitality, and culinary delights. She was a uniquely beautiful soul for whom there is no substitute.

Judy relocated from St. Louis, Missouri to San Marcos, Texas in April 2011 for a special job opportunity. Before moving, she sought for a Oneness of God, Apostolic-Pentecostal, 7th Day Sabbath-Keeping church. Having learned and being convinced in 2009 about the mandate to keep the 7th Day Sabbath, according to Exodus 20:8-11, Judy sought for a place of worship that practiced all such tenants of the faith, which were once delivered unto the Saints. She found all of it under the umbrella of Deliverance Temple in Jesus’ Name, then of Austin, Texas. At Deliverance Temple, Judy kept her hands busy, doing whatsoever her hands found to do, especially as it benefited the congregation or any individual. She had no bias in how and to whom she served. She just simply served and with great delight. She often cautioned against serving with a complaining spirit, quoting from Colossians 3:23, which states: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”

At Deliverance Temple, Judy was known for her contributions as a writer, teacher and preacher, lover of the scriptures, or simply for contributing thought-provoking commentary to the weekly Sabbath School discussions or Bible classes. Judy’s most recent and last message was delivered on the Sabbath of January 19, 2026, when she shared her testimonial sermon, “The Justice of the Whip.” This message had a powerful impact on those who heard and received it, as Judy fervently admonished the need to search one’s heart to restore a right relationship with God and a right relationship with one another. However, the most resounding echo and lasting impression of this message was to “quickly forgive and quickly repent!”.

On Monday, March 2, 2026, a conversation was shared between King Jesus, the Great Shepherd and his gentle sheep, Evangelist Judy Keys. He came to pick fruit from a tree with whom He was well-pleased. That tree was Judy and her fruit was joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness, faith, and the like. In Judy’s testimony to many family and friends, she stated: “I’m so glad He came to get me.” In essence, she prophesied her transition from earth to eternal rest. She is now resting with her Comforting Savior, waiting for others to join her in the King’s due time.

Proceeding Judy in her transition are Parents: Bethel and Canary Bond Chapman; Brothers: Bethel Chapman, Jr., Wayne E. Chapman, and Ricky L. Chapman; Sisters: Gayle L. Betts, Karen R. Chapman, and Kim Y. McClellan. Left to cherish Judy’s legacy and memory are her Husband, Stacey L. Keys of Round Rock, TX; Brothers: Tracy O. Chapman (Pat) of O’Fallon, IL, Michael V. Chapman (Reneé) of St. Louis, MO, Danny O. and Silas Chapman, both of Belleville, IL, Paul Chapman of Murrieta, CA, and Brian K. Chapman (Monica) of St. Louis, MO; Sisters: Tobie L. Chapman of Ballwin, MO, Joan C. Smith (Charles) of Washington Park, IL, Poinsettia Chapman of Mansfield, TX, Wagonal E. Chapman of Ft. Worth, TX, twin sister, Trudy (Larry) of Buda, TX, and Alisha F. Chapman of Jonesboro, GA; Brother-in-Law: Louis Betts III of Greenville, IL; Aunt: Loretta Chapman of Florida, host of nieces, nephews.

Left to cherish special memories of Judy are her Godmother: Evangelist Betty J. Stephens of Chicago, IL; Friends: Ulanda Sherrell Loyd of Granite City, IL, Clarissa Howard of Raleigh, NC, Pastor Judie D. Durden of Round Rock, TX , Christy Johnson of Temple, TX, Mary Houston of Austin, TX, and Pinky Kaur of Austin, TX.