Laura Jane Judkins

Laura Jane Worden was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 22, 1932 to John Wesley Worden and Dora Oleta Hendrick Worden. She was the third of five children. Laura graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1950. She had played the violin for many years and was always proud of her musical contribution to the CHS orchestra. She met her future husband, Philip Judkins, at their Senior Picnic a week before graduating. They married in June of 1952 and celebrated 72 years of marriage in June of 2024. They welcomed daughter Linda in December 1956 and a second daughter, Karen, in June of 1961. Laura began her banking career at Citizens Bank in downtown Tulsa in the early 1950's and eventually became Vice-President of Human Resources at Bank of Oklahoma. She retired in 1997. Laura and Phil enjoyed many hobbies together during their 72 years of marriage. Music was always a central part of their life together. Phil was a theatre pipe organ enthusiast and she supported his dream of having his own pipe organ in their home. She always wanted her daughters to play the violin like she had but alas, they were not talented in that area. Phil had a deep interest in automobiles from past eras, restoring cars from the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s. Each of those cars had a club for people who were also interested in them and they were members of all of them, as well as the Sooner State Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society, which she helped found with Phil. They also loved to travel with their Airstream travel trailer, often going to rallies with her sister and brother-in-law and her best friend from her childhood and her husband. They had a busy calendar all year long. They also made many trips to Maui, Hawaii and Nashville, TN to visit their daughters and grandchildren. In 2020, while everyone stayed at home because of Covid, Laura and Phil wrote an almost 500 page book--A Collection of Life Stories- complete with hundreds of photos, through Storyworth. It was a compilation of memories from throughout their lives. The book is a precious gift to their daughter, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Laura was a smart, fun-loving, friendly, energetic, loyal, and faithful Wife, Mama, Grandma, and Great Grandma. She loved Jesus and was very active in her Sunday School class at First Methodist Church in downtown Tulsa. She still zipped around town in her 2009 Lincoln much to the consternation of Linda and Karen since she was anything but a little blue-haired lady driving 30 mph in a 50 mph speed zone. And if she wasn't driving, she made backseat driving an art form. She loved her home and she would just glow with happiness when she found something new and pretty to display or hang on the wall or make her home feel more comfortable. She was a baker extraordinaire and was famous in the family and beyond for her chocolate sheet cake. She loved to sit on the deck at their home and drink coffee with Phil and Linda when she was in town and the weather allowed. Many deep conversations were enjoyed and life decisions were made out there on that deck. She and Karen often baked together and created wonderful candies at Christmas. Karen also taught Laura how to use a computer and she discovered online Solitaire which she LOVED to play. She could make us laugh, make us think, make us change lanes, make us long for one of her peanut clusters, took us to church and made sure we got something out of it, and we all knew she adored us. And we all adored her. One of her grandsons said, when reminiscing about "Grandma"...."If I had to draw a picture of the perfect Grandma, it would look just like her." She was a ball of fire and almost larger than life and we're not sure how to do life without her. Laura lost the love of her life for 72 years, Phil, just over two months ago. She is survived by her two daughters, Linda Klingmann (Michael) of Ashland City, TN and Karen Hanisch (William) of Pukalani, Maui, HI; Grandchildren Nathan Vooys (Emily), Nicholas Vooys, Alexander Vooys (Lindsay), Abby Fulton (Joseph), Coleby Hanisch (Meredith), and Cameron Hanisch; Great grandchildren, Lucas, Henry, Evelyn, Brinkley, Rowen, Hayley, and Ezra. Services for Laura Jane Judkins will be on Friday, February 7 at 1:00 PM at First Methodist Church, 1115 S. Boulder Ave., Tulsa, Oklahoma followed by interment at Memorial Park Cemetery, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her family will receive friends on Thursday, February 6, from 4 PM until 6 PM at Moore Funeral Home Southlawn Chapel, 9350 E. 51st Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma, 918-663-2233.

Laura Jane Judkins

October 22, 1932 - February 2, 2025