Judith Karen “Judy” Cavender Lewis, aged 73, passed away on March 3, 2018, at her daughter Jodi’s home in Willis after a long battle with Alzheimer’s and stroke complications. Judy was born November 7, 1944, in Charleston, West Virginia, the daughter of her beloved parents, Theodore and Reda Cavender. She was raised in West Virginia and graduated from St. Alban’s High School and then attended Secretarial College. Judy was so funny, so loving, so generous, and so kind. She dedicated most of her life to rescuing animals and started a chapter of the ASPCA in Texas City. Judy adored her mom and dad, and she selflessly took care of her loved ones, especially her relatives back in West Virginia in the later stages of their lives. She also owned her own children’s resale shop in Conroe called Punch and Judy’s. Anyone who knew Judy knew that she loved to talk and laugh! She also loved to tell stories – and she made wild gestures when she told them. If you wanted to get her attention, all you had to do was grab her hands! In 1964, Judy married her high school sweetheart, Larry Lewis. Larry soon took a job working out of state, so they moved briefly to Georgia and then to LaMarque, Texas, and eventually to Willis, Texas, where they put down roots. Her parents soon followed Judy to Texas from West Virginia, and they all lived the rest of their lives in the Conroe/Willis area, along with Larry’s parents, Eddie and Ellen Lewis. Judy was a member of the Woodland Hills Church of Christ in Conroe for decades along with her mom and her kids. In later years, she attended Longmire Church of Christ with her daughter’s family. Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Reda Cavender, and her in-laws, Eddie and Ellen Lewis. She is survived by her husband of 53 years Larry Lewis of Willis; daughter Jodi Simmons and her husband Stuart of Willis; son Ted Lewis and wife Karen of Montgomery; adopted son Ronnie Wogerer and his wife Cheryl of Athens; sister Sharon Lucas and her husband Carl of Huntington, West Virginia; grandchildren Josh and Jamie Simmons of Willis; Jake and Lindsey Lewis of Montgomery; and honorary grandchildren Alex, Alyssa, and Samantha Wogerer of Athens, and Joey and Caroline Sheaff of Willis; as well as numerous relatives and friends. Although Jodi and her daughter Jamie were Judy’s primary caregivers in the Simmons’ home for the past 17-and-a-half months, it was Judy’s husband Larry who tirelessly and protectively cared for Judy for six years prior to her massive stroke.
The family wishes to thank the Sheaff family for always lending a hand with Judy and lovingly taking over care of Judy for the Simmons when they had to be out of town. The family also gives special thanks to Virginia’s Hospice in Willis for their amazing dedication and support of Judy and her family during her long-term care, especially Casey and Sermika. The funeral Service for Judy will be on Saturday, March 10, 2018 in Garden Park Mausoleum beginning at 2:30pm.
