Alas, My Brother

Image courtesy of Sheriff Grady Judd and the Polk County Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

Brethren, please keep Brother Grady Judd who is the Sheriff here in Polk County in your prayers, he lost his father Grady Curtis Judd, Sr. on Saturday (February 22nd), he was 88 years old. Here is the announcement from the Sheriff's Office Facebook page.

Viewing and memorial service information below.

“My dad was my hero and my best buddy. I miss him so much. He went home to be with the Lord, and he was ready. But I wasn’t ready. He was such a good and decent human being. Dad was a leader at church, active in civic life, successful in business, and a mentor and rock of support for our family. As a family we have so many cherished memories. We are so thankful to have had him as our dad.” Grady Judd, Sheriff

Grady Curtis Judd, Sr., passed away on Saturday, February 22, 2020, at the age of 88 at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, surrounded by his family.

Grady was born the day after Christmas in 1931 in White County, Tennessee, to Simon Judd and Tina McCoy Judd.

In 1952, he married Martha Lou Judd and together, they had a son, Grady Judd, Jr., and daughter Lee Ann Judd Fagundo. Following the death of his first wife in 2005, he married Shirley Henry Judd.

Grady moved to Lakeland to escape the cold winters in Tennessee. He rose to service director for Tomlinson and then Tinney Cadillac, working for Cadillac for 47 years. Grady was a music minister for Crystal Lake Baptist, Griffin Baptist and other area churches. He was a 32nd degree Mason: Kathleen Lodge #338. He is a former member of the service organization Dixieland Lions and a Gideon, the international organization that distributes bibles.

In addition to his family, Grady's passions were camping, fishing and hunting.

Grady was predeceased by his parents, wife Martha, brother Jeff Judd, sister Wilma Joe Simmons, and his great-grandson Graham Judd, Jr.

He is survived by his wife Shirley Henry Judd, son Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, Jr., and his wife Marisa, daughter Lee Ann Judd Fagundo and her husband Jose, step-daughter Ann Marie Rainer, along with five grandsons and four granddaughters-in-law, four siblings, and 18 great grandchildren.

A viewing will be held Thursday from 5 -7 p.m. at Heath Funeral Chapel, 238 S. Ingraham Avenue, Lakeland. A memorial service is scheduled for Friday at Lakes Church, 1010 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland (formerly Church at the Mall) in the Chapel at 11 a.m., with lunch to follow.

In lieu of flowers, Grady requested donations be made to Gideons International, PO Box 97256, Washington, DC 20090 or Cornerstone Hospice; 2140 CR 540a East, Lakeland, Florida 33812.