Columbus Councilor Judy Thomas had ‘more than a 15-minute life,’ friends say
City officials, friends and family gathered Thursday morning in St. Luke Church to say goodbye to former Columbus Councilor Judy Thomas, who died last month shortly after leaving city council.
Thomas died on April 19 at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta after being treated for a blood infection, the Ledger-Enquirer reported. Thomas served four terms on council before stepping down from her seat in March. Prior to that she was an award-winning school teacher, and worked as chief of staff for former Columbus Mayor Jim Wetherington.
The Rev. Thad Haygood said he visited Thomas in the hospital, where she told him she had a heart infection and needed major surgery to get better. Haygood said she asked what she should do, to which he responded, “Well, Judy, what do you think you should do?”
Haygood said Thomas got big bright eyes, sat forward, and said, “I wanna go for it!”
“That’s the Judy that we know and love,” Haygood said.
He also said Thomas was on a helicopter heading to Emory the next morning.
Thomas’ niece, Christine Hull, shared anecdotes of “Aunt Judy,” including her love of Diet Coke, which was so strong that it was part of a rule in her house.
“Rule number one, you could have anything you wanted, except the last Diet Coke,” Hull said.
Hull said Thomas was full of stories, songs and gifts. When Thomas moved back to the Columbus area from California, people started calling her “Aunt Judy.” Hull said this led to the creation of an “Aunt Judy” fan club, and people had to be initiated before they could call her that.
Hull drew laughter from the crowd when she said the fan club had a secret handshake comprised of one finger and a four-letter password.
Hull also shared a big lesson learned from Thomas, which was to never pass by the Salvation Army Christmastime red bucket without donating. Hull said it was the Salvation Army that provided her grandmother’s family with food, clothing and necessities during hard times.
The appreciation Thomas held in the community was clear from the praise she earned by those in attendance Thursday.
“How does a Baptist preacher end up in a Methodist church, doing a part of Judy Thomas’ funeral?” the Rev. Jimmy Elder asked the crowd. Elder said the short answer is because Thomas told him to, which brought more laughter from the crowd.
Elder said that Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis had a meeting with Wetherington, the former chief and mayor, after being newly appointed. During the meeting, Wetherington pointed to Thomas in attendance and said she was “the best thing that ever happened in my life.”
“He is absolutely right,” Wetherington’s wife, Shirley, said while standing nearby.
Elder said that while Thomas was in attendance at a funeral once, another attendee remarked that comments from the preacher were “going to take awhile.”
Elder said Thomas leaned over and responded, “If you want a 15-minute funeral, you should live a 15-minute life.”
“Judy lived more than a 15-minute life,” Elder said.
Thomas’ history in Columbus
Thomas, who graduated from Jordan Vocational High School, taught fifth grade at Bibb Elementary School, where she later won Columbus’ Teacher of the Year award in 1973 while teaching at the school, according to Thomas’ obituary.
Thomas served as president of the Muscogee Association of Educators in 1972-73 and later won the Jim Buntin Leadership Award for Excellence in Education from the Muscogee Educational Excellence Foundation in 2021, her obituary says.
Thomas served as chief of staff for Wetherington through 2010 when she stepped down to run for Columbus council, her obituary says.
Thomas served as councilor until March 11, when she resigned, citing her health, the Ledger-Enquirer reported.
This story was originally published May 8, 2025 at 3:17 PM.