Margaret Louise Simmons was born December 23, 1934, the second child of seven born to Albert and Marie Simmons in Lenora, Kansas. Margaret grew up in the towns of Lenora, Logan and Glade, Kansas. She described herself as a "daddy's girl." She was occasionally invited to ride with her father who worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad, riding the rails between these small towns.
In her early 20s, she met a young man named Francis Judd in Phillipsburg, who was just a few years out of the Army. The two courted and then married on July 7, 1957. This union was blessed with three sons, Wesley, Mark and Delvan.
Francis and Margaret purchased a small home at 440 Sixth Street in Phillipsburg. This would be their address for the remainder of their lives. But they were not content with the small, older home located at that address. Over the course of the next several years, they lived in a "construction zone" as Francis built a new house on the lot to replace the old one.
Margaret would work at a variety of jobs during the next several years. She would be a grocery store clerk, iron clothes, and sold household and personal products for Avon, Tupperware and other products. But her real love was as a wife and mother. She was the happiest when she was with her family.
She relished family dinners. She never missed home sporting events. She went to band concerts and school plays. She hosted Cub Scout troops in her home. She went out of her way to ensure that her family was cared for and knew that they were loved.
Over the years, Margaret was a member of and actively involved in a number of churches. Earlier in her life, she attended the Glade United Methodist Church and the Phillipsburg United Methodist Church. In the 1970s and 80s she became an active member of the Phillipsburg Wesleyan Church, and later on was active in the Phillipsburg Church of the Nazarene until that church closed.
Once her children were grown, she became interested in genealogy and researching her family history. She spent hundreds of hours writing letters, researching records and compiling information going back, in some cases over 400 years to find the family's roots.
When her grandchildren came along, Margaret made a point to be involved in their lives. She would attend church musicals and school programs, traveling as far as it took to see her grandchildren grow and flourish.
Over the past few years, Alzheimer's disease began to take away her memory and eventually her mind. Just a little over a year ago, Margaret was introduced to her youngest Great-grandchildren. Even though she has lost the ability to speak and often showed little signs of recognizing anyone, she seemed to light up at the sight of these new little ones. She seemed to instinctively know that these little children were a part of her family.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, Nov. 28, at 2:00 p.m. in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Josh Foster officiating. Burial will follow in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Phillips County.
Mrs. Judd will lie in-state on Friday from noon – 9 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Pleasant Hill Cemetery.