In Memory of the Honorable Judy Thomas

Floor Speech

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Mr. BISHOP. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable educator, dedicated public servant, and longstanding friend, the Honorable Judy Thomas. Sadly, Judy passed from labor to reward on April 19, 2025. A funeral service to celebrate her remarkable life will be held on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at St. Luke Church in Columbus, Georgia.

The genesis of Judy Thomas's life began with her birth to the union of William H. Lt. (Bill) Williams and Alice Williams. She graduated from Jordan Vocational High School in 1964, later earning her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the Women's College of Georgia, now Georgia College and State University.

Judy began her teaching career at Bibb Elementary School in Columbus, where she was a fifth and sixth grade teacher. Due to her unwavering commitment to education and the future of young people, she was honored as Columbus Teacher of the Year in 1973. During that same time, she served as President of the Muscogee Association of Educators. On May 9, 2021, Judy was awarded the Jim Buntin Leadership Award for Excellence in Education for the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation, which was a special honor for her as this award was named after her close friend and former Muscogee County School Superintendent.

Judy eventually moved to California to continue her educational career, but Columbus was never far from her heart. She returned to her beloved Columbus in 2006 and became actively involved in the successful Mayoral Campaign of Mayor Jim Wetherington, where she served as Chief of Staff from 2006 to 2010. During her time in the Mayor's Office, she was instrumental in passing the 2008 SLOST Referendum, which enabled the hiring of 100 police officers in Columbus--a measure that continues to benefit our community today. Judy left the Mayor's Office in 2010 to launch her campaign for the Columbus City Council.

Elected to the Columbus City Council in 2011, Judy served honorably for four terms representing District Nine (At-Large). She diligently assumed the role of Budget Chair for several Council cycles, always focused on fiscal responsibility while ensuring that the needs of Columbus citizens were met. Her fingerprints and legacy will be evident in Columbus for many years to come. Her voice and vote were critical in efforts to renovate Golden Park, which helped bring the Atlanta Braves Double-A team to our city.

Judy was a truth-teller, always voting her conscience, earning the respect and admiration of those she served.

Throughout her life, Judy exemplified a commitment to service, a trait she inherited from her parents, who were both devoted to their community--her father as the Columbus District Fire Chief and her mother as the first certified medical assistant in the State of Georgia. It has been said that ``service is the rent that we pay for the space that we occupy here on this earth.'' Judy paid her rent and paid it well, dedicating her time and resources to numerous community organizations, including the National Infantry Museum, the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation, Open Door Community Center, St. Luke Church Administrative Board, Girls in the Game, Chattahoochee Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Jordan Vocational High School College and Career Academy Advisory Board, RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, Columbus State University Military Affiliated Student Support Fund, the Rotary Club of Columbus, and the Miracle Riders.

On a personal note, I have had the privilege of knowing Judy for many years. I am incredibly grateful for her support and the fidelity of her friendship. She never told me what she felt I wanted to hear; instead, she always shared what she felt I needed to hear.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join my wife, Vivian, and me, along with the more than 765,000 people of Georgia's Second Congressional District, in honoring the life and legacy of Councilor Judy Thomas. Moreover, we extend our deepest sympathies to Councilor Thomas's family, friends, colleagues, and all those who mourn her loss during this difficult time of bereavement. We pray that they will find consolation and comfort through abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks, and months to come.

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