Judy Viola Davis

Judy Viola Davis, 68, passed away on October 30, 2026, surrounded by the love of her family.

Born on February 5, 1958, in Portland, Oregon, to Virgil and Estella Messinger, Judy lived a life as colorful, creative, and unforgettable as she was. She graduated from Madison High School in Portland before answering the call to serve her country in the United States Navy. She proudly served four years as a clerk.

After welcoming her first daughter, Michelle, Judy began working as a certified nursing assistant. Never one to stop learning or settle for less, she attended night school, learned shorthand, earned her associate degree, and began a new career as a secretary. Along the way, she welcomed two more daughters, Kerensa and, just a year later, Amber. Raising three girls while building a career was no small undertaking, but Judy had a way of making it all work.

Eventually, she decided a fresh start in Missouri was just what the family needed. She packed up her three girls and made the move, beginning another chapter filled with hard work, adventure, and a little bit of reinvention. She worked as a night auditor at a hotel before discovering her talent for nail artistry. What began as a new career soon became her own business when she opened her own nail shop.

Being a mother was always Judy's greatest role. She never missed a school event, activity, or special occasion for her girls. If one of her daughters was participating, Judy was there, and chances were good that everyone in the building knew it. She was the loudest cheerleader in the crowd, and her girls never had to wonder whether someone was in their corner. Judy was there, front and center, cheering them on.

Judy was an artist in every sense of the word. She loved painting, jewelry making, beadwork, miniatures, antiques, crocheting, sewing, and cross-stitching. Her world was full of color, beauty, and creativity, and she had a knack for turning ordinary things into something special. She made countless handmade treasures for others, always giving them away and never accepting money in return. For Judy, the joy was in creating something with love and sharing it with someone else. She was wonderfully eccentric, delightfully unique, and never afraid to be herself.

And then there was her laughter. Judy loved to laugh and had a gift for bringing joy wherever she went. She was the light in every room, the kind of person whose presence made things brighter, whose personality was impossible to miss, and whose sense of humor made life a little more fun.

In 2000, Judy became a grandmother for the first time, and her world changed all over again. If she had been a devoted mother, becoming a grandmother gave her an entirely new reason to spoil, love, and fuss over the people who meant everything to her. Her grandchildren quickly became the center of her world, and she embraced the role of Grandma with her whole heart.

In 2020, Judy was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. What followed was a six-year fight marked by treatments, appointments, challenges, and an incredible amount of determination. She approached each appointment with hope and a fighting spirit, refusing to let her diagnosis dictate how she would live her life. Cancer may have been part of her story, but it never got to define her. She fought with courage and determination until the very end, and even through her own struggles, she continued taking care of the people around her. That was simply who Judy was. She loved fiercely, gave generously, and always found a way to put others first.

Judy leaves behind a family who will forever carry her laughter, creativity, strength, and love with them. She is survived by her daughters, Michelle (Jonathan) Westerhold, Kerensa Wilson, and Amber (Brian) Hendershot; her grandchildren, Jasper, Shaun, Thomas, Isabelle, Riese, Zander, Draco, Brynleigh, and Phoenix; and her brother, Kenny.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Virgil and Estella Messinger.

Judy's life was never meant to be ordinary, and neither was she. She filled her days with art, her home with handmade treasures, her family's lives with unconditional love, and every room she entered with laughter. She was a mother, a grandmother, an artist, a fighter, and a one-of-a-kind woman who lived life in her own wonderfully colorful way. Though her hands can no longer create, her heart will live on in every treasure she made, every memory she left behind, and every life she touched.

She will be missed more than words can say, but if Judy taught those who loved her anything, it is that life should be lived boldly, loved generously, and never taken too seriously. And knowing Judy, she would probably want everyone to remember to laugh a little louder.

Arrangements are under the direction of Adams Funeral Home, Ozark, and cremation rites are accorded by Adams Crematory.