Judith Kuykendall

Of

Judith Ann Kuykendall

Judith Ann Kuykendall died peacefully on December 31, 2021, and went to be with her Lord. She was 82.

Judy was born in Dallas, TX, on October 5, 1939, to William R. Kuykendall and Lila Taylor Kuykendall, and was raised in Burnet, TX. She graduated from Burnet High School where she was the Salutatorian of her graduating class. As a girl, Judy enjoyed working at the Kuykendall Drug Store owned by her father on the Burnet town square.

Judy loved to learn. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. Because she was a life-long reader and enjoyed working with people, she decided to become a librarian. She received a Master’s Degree in Library Sciences from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, TX.

Her first job after college was at the Brooklyn Public Library in New York. This was followed by stints in Dallas and El Paso libraries during the early years of her career.

Judy loved to travel. As a young woman, she took a five-month break from her library duties to work as a stewardess on a windjammer boat cruise in the West Indies.

For many years, Judy was the Library Director for the public library in Temple, TX. Creating a friendly, helpful library was her vision, where people were encouraged to read and explore all kinds of subjects. Judy was active and made many friends from across the state in the Texas Library Association.

Judy enjoyed meeting authors and would often have them autograph their books, which she gave as gifts to family members. She loved gardens and Texas wildflowers. She was fascinated by birds and liked to read about them. She was an avid follower of the Burnet Bulldogs high school football team as well as the University of Texas Longhorns football team.

But one of her greatest passions was genealogy. She did in-depth research and traveled to learn about her ancestors, including trips to Amsterdam and Scotland. It thrilled her to learn of and meet distant relatives. She loved to tell the story of going to a worship service at a church in Amsterdam where some of her ancestors were married in 1638.

Judy leaves behind many cherished friends whom she spoke fondly of, including Burnet childhood friends, and close friends she made in New York, Oklahoma, Temple, Abilene, and elsewhere.

Judy was a Christian and attended Methodist churches for much of her life. She shared Bible commentaries and other inspirational books with her family.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father and her two brothers, William C. “Bill” Kuykendall and Stillman Vaughan “Bud” Taylor, Jr.

She is survived by her two devoted nieces and their husbands, Priscilla and Glynn Ervin of Arlington, TX, and Pamela and Dean Wilkerson of Coppell, TX, her former sister-in-law Patricia Taylor of Grand Prairie, TX, many great-nieces and great-nephews, and many Kuykendall cousins.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Arbor House in Marble Falls, TX, for the compassionate care they gave to Judy in the past year and who became like family to her.

A graveside service will be held on Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at 3:00 PM, at the Burnet City Cemetery, 1001 S. Rhomberg Street, Burnet, TX. Arrangements were made through the Clements-Wilcox funeral home. The family respectfully requests that all who may attend the graveside service wear a face covering to help prevent the spread of the COVID virus. Memorials in Judy’s honor should be made to the Herman Brown Free Library in Burnet, TX.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ClementsWilcoxBurnet.com for the Kuykendall family.