Judy Balkcum Coon, 77, passed away peacefully at home in her sleep on April 28. Born December 2, 1945, she was the oldest child of the late William Richardson Balkcum, Sr., and the late Laura Elizabeth Bullard Balkcum of Sampson County North Carolina. She is survived by her husband, John William Coon, sons John Murray Coon (Jill) of Huntsville, AL, and David William Coon (Heather) of Decatur, AL, grandsons Patton Coon of Birmingham, Smith Coon of Decatur, and Dylan Coon of Huntsville. Also, sister Carolyn Swanson of Henderson, NC, W. R. “Bill” Balkcum (Teresa) of Wilmington, NC, and sister-in-law Patricia Balkcum of Florence, SC. She was preceded in death by her brother Donald Balkcum and her beloved brother-in-law Lennie Swanson.
Judy graduated from East Carolina University. At ECU she met and later married John and together they celebrated fifty-four years of loving marriage. She had a special calling to teach reading and taught first grade in North Carolina and later in the Decatur, AL City Schools, retiring in 2004 from Eastwood Elementary School. She loved cooking for friends and relatives, served her Decatur First United Methodist Church for long years in the kitchen and in the United Methodist Women, in the Seekers Sunday School Class, and she also held membership in the P.E.O. organization and volunteered at the Committee on Church Cooperation. Judy was a devout Christian, a lifelong Methodist, a devoted and loving wife, mother and grandmother, and a smiling, good friend.
Funeral services will be at the Decatur First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, May 2, with visitation at the church from 12:00 noon until 1:00 and the Celebration of Life service at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at the Decatur City Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Ronnie Dukes, Bill Moore, Mark Heard, Dr. Gerald New, Dr. Kenneth Chandler, and Jack Ozier.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the First United Methodist Church, 805 Canal Street, Decatur, AL 35601, the Neighborhood Christian Center, 1619 Bank St NE, Decatur, AL 35601, or a charity of choice.
Roselawn Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
