Juda Jane Holder

Juda Jane Shipley Holder left her earthly life on May 18, 2017, and has now come into the presence of the Living God in Heaven. She was 93 years young when she left this world. Juda was born on April 5, 1924 in Fort Smith, Arkansas to Benjamin Harrison Shipley and Maud Curtis Shipley. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Edward Holder, and is survived by all of her children, James Edward Holder, Jr (wife Jera)., William Shipley Holder, and Melissa Holder Little (husband Blake) and Jana Morgan Holder and her grandchildren, Chase, Payton, Taylor, Will, Sam, and John, and two great grandchildren, Parker and Carson. She is survived by all three of her siblings - Harry Shipley of Fort Smith, AR., Curtis Shipley of Fayetteville, AR., and Sally Bowers of Van Buren, AR., as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was born into a close-knit family in which her parents instilled love and respect, and a very strong commitment to each other and to God. In her early life, Fort Smith was a care free community in which to live, and she enjoyed a wonderful childhood with a great group of girls who remained close friends the remainder of their lives. After graduating from high school in the Spring of 1941, just a month after turning seventeen, she boarded the train that Fall and headed to Lynchburg, VA., to attend Randolph Macon Women's College (now Randolph College). Attending college during World War II created some limitations on a traditional college life, but her enthusiastic personality helped her develop many great friendships from across the country and to enjoy her educational experience in the face of global war. While at Randolph Macon she continued a family tradition, joining the Pi Beta Phi Sorority, and was an active Pi Phi supporter throughout her life. Upon graduation she became an elementary school teacher in Fort Smith. One of her great life adventures occurred in 1953 when she and her dear friend, EdDell Wortz, quit their jobs to travel Europe for three months of exploration. That trip continued to expose her to the vast world that she lived in, and gave her compassion for others that would last through her life. On September 6, 1955 she married Jim Holder, a handsome and outgoing World War II Captain who had captured her heart. After their wedding ceremony in Fort Smith they began their new life in Tulsa where Jim had moved to be more centrally located for his job as a manufacturer�s representative in the furniture industry. The bought a beautiful home where Juda lived the remainder of her life. Upon moving to Tulsa they quickly made many friends who welcomed them to their new city. Although they missed their friends in Fort Smith, they quickly grew to love Tulsa for its beauty and style. She had many special friends in Tulsa, some of whom preceded her in death, and some who she leaves behind. Her family is grateful to those wonderful friends who have been by her side since Jim passed away in August of 2000. Juda was a generous person with a desire to host functions at her house, to share a gift with a friend, or to offer an encouraging word when someone was in need. She was a loyal wife, mother, and friend, and was fiercely protective of those relationships. She was confident and comfortable offering advice to those around her. She was athletic and enjoyed golf and tennis throughout her life, but tennis was her real passion and she enjoyed playing with her friends until the age of eighty. She was a member of Boston Avenue Methodist Church for 58 years, and served in the church for many of those years, most notably as a Sunday School teacher and in the Homebound ministry. She was also a member of The Junior League. She was a life-long fan of the University of Arkansas sports teams, and was a season ticket holder to Razorback football games for many years. Many remember the little red Razorback that she had on the end of her car antenna for many years. The family would like to extend its love and appreciation to the special ladies who helped care for Juda in the last years of her life (Mary, Linda, Gloria, Lucy, Shirley, Dawn), as well as Seasons Hospice who provided support over the past several weeks. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 22nd, at Boston Avenue Church in Tulsa. Moore Funeral Homes Rosewood Chapel is handling the arrangements. The committal service will be held on June 9th at the National Cemetery in Fort Smith, AR., at 2:00 p.m. The family asks that any donations be made to the Little Light House, 5120 E. 36th Place, Tulsa, OK., 74135. Moore's Rosewood Chapel 918-744-1202

Juda Jane Holder

April 5, 1924 - May 18, 2017