Judy Ann Loftis

JUDY LOFTIS

Medon, TN: Judy Ann King Loftis, age 74, passed away December 20, 2025, at her home.

She was born August 22, 1951, in Bolivar, TN the daughter of the late James Newton and Thelma Alene King. She grew up in rural Chester County in a house with no running water until she was 10. She started school in a two-room schoolhouse and later attended Chester County High School.

She married Billy Joe Hill in 1971 and they shared a daughter, Beth Ann. Judy and Beth moved to Powell, TN in 1977 for Judy to attend drafting school in Oak Ridge on the CETA program, a government program to help disadvantaged people receive technical training. She was offered a job at Dempster Systems and worked there for four years. While working there, she met and fell in love with Bill Loftis. They returned to West TN in 1981 and she and Bill married on April 2, 1983. They made their home in Deanburg and have been married forty-two years.

Judy began working at Harmon Automotive in the engineering department in 1981. Neither of her parents finished the sixth grade, so she was determined to get an education. She worked at Harmon during the day and attended night school at Jackson State Community College and received her Associate of Science degree 1987 at the age of 36. She worked at Harmon until the plant closed in the mid-90’s.

She worked various contract engineering jobs and finally landed at Delta Faucet in 1999. She retired in 2015. While working there, she earned a BA Degree in Science in Organized Leadership from Union University in Jackson in 2001 at age fifty. Judy always said that next to being “Beth’s Mom” and “Bill’s Wife”, earning her degree was her greatest accomplishment.

Judy was committed to community service and helping others. She was a member of the Deanburg Community Club and served many times as President. She was also a member of FCE and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She was a member of New Union Baptist Church in Bolivar.

She was an avid reader. She enjoyed sewing, crafting, and photography. One of her great passions was traveling. She was blessed to be able to travel to Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, France and Italy. She often said, “Did you ever think that a little ‘ole country girl from Deanburg would get to do this?”

Mrs. Loftis is survived by her husband, William ‘Bill’ Garrett Loftis of Medon; a daughter, Beth Ann Hill, of Murfreesboro; two stepsons, Gary Loftis (Shanda) of Knoxville and Tom Loftis of Knoxville; a granddaughter, Jayden Loftis; three sisters, Nelma Dabbs of Sulphur, OK, Carol Maness of Finger and Bonnie Hostetler (Matthew) of Selmer and a brother, Wayne King of Jackson.

Memorial services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, January 3, 2026, at Shackelford Funeral Directors – East Main with Robert Greene officiating.

The family will receive friends at East Main 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM service time.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society.

Shackelford Funeral Directors of Henderson

731-989-2421