Judith Mae Gray

Champaign - Judith (Judy) Mae Gray (formerly Rudicil, born Phillips) went home to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on Saturday, May 7, 2022.  Judy was born in Champaign, IL on October 21, 1937 to Clarence William Phillips and Pauline Mae Vinson Phillips.  She lived her entire life in Champaign-Urbana.  Judy graduated from Champaign High School in 1955 and remained close friends with many of her classmates.  On January 8, 1955 she married Richard Keith Rudicil.  On December 17, 1988 she married William “Bill” T. Gray, IV.  Judy and Bill were best friends, soulmates, and they had been married for over 33 years at the time of her passing.  Judy had a blended family of three biological children and five step-children (whom she loved as her own) and several special bonus families. 

Judy is survived by her husband; children Roger (Patty) Rudicil of Urbana, IL, Paula Rudicil Huls of Charleston, SC, Rich (Laura) Rudicil of Elkhart, IN, William Gray of Maplewood, MN, Jon (Amy) Gray of Savoy, IL, Gina (Garry) Laidlaw of Pella, IA, Mia Gray Craven of Holyoke, MA, and Kali Gray Olson of St. Charles, IL; 15 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren.

Judy enjoyed spending time with her family, reading Christian and old west fiction, bible study, needlework, photography, crossword puzzles, watching her children and grandchildren play sports, working with children, and playing table games.  Judy looked forward to lunch each month with ladies that she attended high school with. 

Judy and Bill traveled through much of the United States in their Hi Lo travel trailer.  They rafted through the Grand Canyon twice and toured many national parks.  They visited the Caribbean 3 times, Alaska twice, Hawaii, the British Isles, and Ireland.  They canoed many times on the Current and Jacks Fork rivers in Missouri.  Judy spent 10 years riding her beautiful horse, Cristel, on trail rides in Illinois and in the Missouri Ozarks.  Bill took riding lessons and joined Judy on weeklong rides in the Ozarks. 

Judy was a member of Living Word Family Church in St. Joseph, IL, where she and Bill gave their lives to Christ in 1999.  She and Bill were elders in the church, taught together in children’s ministry for 15 years, were on the prayer team, and were premarital counselors. 

Judy coached junior bowling for 13 years.  She was on the board of directors for the Junior Bowling Association and the Champaign-Urbana Women’s Bowling Association.  She was a lifetime member and Hall of Fame member of the Women’s Bowling Association. 

Most of Judy’s working years were spent in the medical community at the University of Illinois and Carle Clinic, where she retired from. 

Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 710 N Neil St. Champaign, Illinois 61820.  A memorial service will be held in Judy’s honor at a later date. 

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