Judy L. Egelhoff

Judy L. Egelhoff, 84, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, died December 25, 2024. She was born on August 27, 1940, to Edward and Audrey (Jones) Witham in St. Joseph, Missouri. Judy graduated from Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri. 

She was an active member of Center Fork Baptist Church and an avid student of the Bible through the Faith Bible Institute. Judy loved being part of the Pairs and Spares Sunday School Class. For over 60 years, Judy served in various children’s ministry programs such as children’s chapel, Vacation Bible School, AWANA, and Sunday School. She took great joy in helping pack boxes for Operation Christmas Child each year.

Judy was a member of the Crazy Quilters EH club. She loved to learn new quilting techniques. Each year, she looked forward to working in the EHC kitchen at the county and arts and crafts fairs. The fellowship and friendships she gained while serving Garland County alongside her fellow club and council members were priceless to her.

She moved to Levi Tower Apartments in 2013. While there, she served as a monitor for the office off-hours, floor captain to ensure everyone got out of their apartments during an emergency, and made it a mission to know everyone who lived there. She loved setting up, calling the weekly bingo, and trying to feed everyone in the building. If someone had a need, she tried to meet it. She made many precious friendships while living there, as she did everywhere.

But her favorite thing was being “Grandma” to her five grandchildren and her many honorary grandkids. If you stopped to talk to her, it would not have taken long for her to share an update or tell a story about something one of them had done lately. They were her pride and joy, and she was thrilled beyond measure that a great-grand was on the way.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Audrey Witham, and one child, Baby Egelhoff.

Judy is survived by her siblings, Connie (Marvin) Broadstone and Edward (Lori) Witham; daughters Alison (Shawn) Crane and Cristina (James) McNatt; grandchildren Anna Crane, Jonathan (Amanda) Crane, Jolie (Conner) Shipman, Grant McNatt, and Camden McNatt; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews, one great-great niece, and countless others who were part of her family circle. 

The recurring theme of her life was she loved Jesus, coffee, and people. Kevin Bacon had nothing on her for finding connections and getting to know folks.

Memorial Information: Visitation will be Thursday, January 2, 2025, at Smith Family Funeral Home on Airport Road, Hot Springs, Arkansas, from 6-8 p.m. The Memorial Service will be Friday, January 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Center Fork Baptist Church on 1101 South Moore Rd, Hot Springs, Arkansas.