Judith Florence Villars McKey passed peacefully in the arms of her loved ones at her home after a truly courageous battle with metastatic breast cancer on Tuesday, February 7, 2023, at the age of 78. She is survived by her husband, Robert Wilburn McKey, Jr., her daughter Christine Villars Norris, her stepchildren Robert Wilburn McKey, III and Rahna McKey Carusi (Tony), her grandchildren Nicole, Chauncey, Taylor, Morgan, and Umberto, her great grandchildren Holden and Karter, her siblings Diane Lee, Lauren Durand, Allyson Villars (John), and Claudia Frisbee, her nieces and nephews, and her great nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents Mr. and Mrs. Fernand J. and Vivian A. Villars, her in-laws Dr. and Mrs. Robert and Lucille McKey, and her son Brett Alexander Norris.
Judith was born in New Orleans, raised in Old Metairie, and attended St. Catherine of Siena, Mercy Academy, and proudly graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Business degree where she recently received her fifty-year Alumnus Association Honorary Certificate. She was a member of the Kappa Tau Chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi (AOII) and was an active member of Kappa Tau’s alumnus chapter since graduation. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church for well over thirty years where she served weekly at the Adoration Chapel and monthly for the St. Anthony Ministry's Food Pantry. In addition to her long-term tenure in executive administration in the oil and gas arena, she was a member of the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association and followed in her mother’s footsteps as an active member of Metairie Woman’s Club. Many remember Judith for her great sense of style; when she walked into a room she was immaculately dressed and presented herself with such poise and grace, including a big, beautiful, infectious, and genuine smile. Judith loved living life and never wanted to miss an event, celebration, or holiday with the love of her life, her children, her sisters, her grandchildren, and her precious friends. She loved adventures, such as hiking into the Grand Canyon with her sisters and traveling with her favorite gent to Alaska, Paris, London, Italy, and even cruising down the Rhine River. Judith loved great food (always cleaned her plate), a sip of red wine or a pour of a great Scotch and made a mean Garlic Cheese Grits. She loved sitting in the living room by the window for devotion and prayer; she slept with her beautiful rosary, always praying before she rested. She was loyal to family and friends; an unwavering, devout Catholic; and a true woman of God. In her final month and before she eternally rested, she said many, many times, “I am blessed, I am blessed, I am blessed!” The family is grateful to her healthcare team, Compassus, those who visited and prayed over her, Father Jody, and all those who selflessly cared for her; she loved you all and will forever be your guardian angel.
Family, friends, and loved ones are invited to attend a Funeral Mass at Leitz-Eagan, 4747 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, on Saturday, February 18, 2023, beginning at 1:00 pm. Visitation will begin at Leitz-Eagan at 11:00am. Her favorite color flowers are yellow or in lieu of flowers the family would prefer donations to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) https://www.bcrf.org/ or Dysphonia International (formerly the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association), https://dysphonia.org/.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.LeitzEaganFuneralHome.com for the family.
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