During the holidays, our school lost a wonderful friend, Judy Bridgers. Judy's husband, Bill, was our founding dean; however, Judy also played a significant role in the life of the school during its early years. She was very involved with the school & known for gathering students, faculty, and staff in her home. As you can see from her obituary below, Judy touched many lives. She was quite extraordinary.

A service celebrating her life will be this Saturday, January 6, 2018, 10:30am at Baptist Church of the Covenant, followed by a reception at the Botanical Gardens.

Judith "Judy" Ware Bridgers, a native of Selma, Alabama, was born on December 7, 1947, to Frances Virginia Bennett Ware and Hogan Riggs Ware. She married Dr. William Frank Bridgers and they made their home in Birmingham, Alabama, where she continued to reside until her death on December 23, 2017, at the age of 70 years. Her parents and husband predeceased her. Judith Ware Bridgers is survived by her children Jeffrey Wright Bridgers (Caroline) of Cheverly Maryland, William David Bridgers (Chanelle) of Nashville, Tennessee, Daniel Lawson Bridgers (Jenn) of Bar Harbor, Maine, and Jana Russell Garner (Paul) of Selma, Alabama. Her grandchildren are: John David Bridgers, Ruth Frances Bridgers, Andrew David Bridgers, Emily Anne Bridgers, Abigail Kathleen Bridgers, Eleanor Bell Bridgers, Samuel Paul Garner and Jacqueline Fairchild Garner. She is also survived by her brother Dr. William Bennett Ware (Pam) and his family of Gainesville, Georgia. Judith Ware Bridgers was committed to social justice and gifted with hospitality. During her lifetime, she opened her life and home to many friends with varied needs, abilities and giftings feeding them all with her delicious food and copious amounts of love. In addition, she was a tireless volunteer in her church and the community at large. In 1993, she received the J.C. Penney Golden Rule Individual Award in recognition of volunteer service and was bestowed numerous awards for her work for service and community organizations. A special award was established in her honor by the AIDS Task Force of Alabama in 1999 titled the Judith Ware Bridgers Community Service Award "For the woman who taught us all not to cast stones." Her death leaves a void in our hearts, but many lessons learned from Judith Ware Bridgers who truly put into action the commandment of John 13:34 "A new command I give you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another." Services to celebrate the life of Judith Ware Bridgers will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 6, 2018, at the Baptist Church of the Covenant located at 2117 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35233. Immediately following will be a reception at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial gifts to Baptist Church of the Covenant mailed to 2117 University Boulevard, Birmingham, Alabama 35223 and/or the Judy and Bill Endowed Scholarship Fund at the UAB School of Public Health made payable to UAB, RPHB 140, mailed to 1729 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-0022.