Memorializing a Life of Passion for Travel and Community
Judy Love, co-founder of Love’s Travel Stops and notable philanthropist, passed away on November 5 in Oklahoma City at the age of 87.
“Our mother, Judy Love, was the heart and soul of our family,” said the Love family. “She cared deeply for us and those who worked alongside her and Dad. Her tenacity, strength, and focus will guide us forever. She taught us the importance of hard work, honesty, and the joy of giving back. While we will miss her dearly, her spirit will live on through the countless lives she touched.”
Together with her husband Tom, Judy helped establish Love’s Travel Stops in 1964 with a $5,000 loan. Her financial expertise and unwavering dedication played a crucial role in expanding the company across 42 states. Judy’s generosity and commitment to community service left a lasting impression on all who knew her.
Her philanthropic legacy continues through her children Greg, Laura, Jenny, and Frank, as well as her numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Born in Chicago in 1937, Judy Love relocated to Oklahoma City in 1942 with her family. She graduated from Bishop McGuinness High School and Central Catholic High School. Judy met Tom Love at Oklahoma State University in 1956, leading to their marriage on December 26, 1960. In 1964, they leased a deserted service station in Watonga, eventually expanding it into a chain of 40 stores within eight years, giving rise to Love’s Family of Companies. Judy managed the company’s finances from home and, after retiring from part-time work in 1975, pursued her passion for interior design, earning degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma.
Judy’s philanthropic endeavors included establishing the Love Family Affiliated Fund in 1999 and the Tom and Judy Love Foundation in 2013. Her contributions to the community were recognized with honors such as the Oklahoma Mother of the Year in 2020 and the Outstanding Philanthropist Award in 1999.
“Judy Love was an extraordinary woman with a huge heart for others and an inexhaustible joy of life,” said Jane Jayroe-Gamble, a close friend. “Her passion for family, friends, community, and the Catholic Church inspired many. Judy and Tom were a partnership made in Heaven, and their successful business reflects their hard work, dedication, and generosity. As we mourn her loss, let’s celebrate her remarkable life, positive spirit, gifts of encouragement, and significant impact on our world.”
Former Oklahoma First Lady Cathy Keating, who collaborated with Judy in the fundraising campaign for the Love Family Women’s Center at Mercy Hospital, shared her admiration. “Judy was devoted to her Catholic faith and the charitable organizations affiliated with it,” Keating said. “She lived her life with courage, determination, and humility. She and her husband, Tom, were a united front in raising their remarkable family and growing their successful business. Judy’s compassion for others knew no limits, and the impact of her kindness and generosity is immeasurable. I will miss her terribly.”
Judy Love was an active participant in non-profit boards in Oklahoma City and co-chaired the capital campaign for Positive Tomorrows, a school dedicated to children experiencing homelessness. Her contributions were widely recognized, earning her a place in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2010. Judy also received numerous accolades, including Lifetime Achievement and Distinguished Woman Awards, and was honored as a Woman of Distinction by the Girl Scouts and Woman of the Year by the Notre Dame Club in Oklahoma.
Source: The Trucker
