Jewell “Judy” Belle Landes
Jewell “Judy” Belle Landes, 90, died peacefully in her home March 6, 2010, after battling Alzheimer’s disease.
She was born May 17, 1919, in Devol in Cotton County, Okla., to Samuel and Laura Bray. She grew up in North and West Texas and graduated from Vernon High School. She met her husband Spencer H. Landes at a USO dance at Ft. Sill in Lawton, Okla. They married Dec. 15, 1945, on his return from the European theater of operations. The couple settled in Houston. They moved to Llano in 2007.
She was a devoted wife and mother, a gourmet cook, an avid antique and bargain hunter and a gracious hostess. She was outgoing, excelled at meeting people and was always able to walk into a group of strangers and strike up a conversation. She volunteered at hospitals and worked many years for Houston’s Memorial Area Ministries resale shop. She was a believer in Jesus, which was the spiritual legacy of her mother and maternal grandmother.
Survivors include her husband of 64 years; daughter Pamela Durst of Llano; granddaughter Laura Gambrell of Kingsland; step-granddaughter Kelly Durst of Albuquerque, N.M.; great-grandsons Spencer and Sean Gambrell of Kingsland; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and sisters Dorothy Sikes, Ellen Connell and Jolene Offord.
Visitation is 5-7 p.m. today at Waldrope-Hatfield-Hawthorne Funeral Home, 307 E. Sandstone in Llano, (325) 247-4300.
A funeral service is 2 p.m. March 10 at the funeral home chapel.
Pallbearers include Robert Cowan, Nicholas Fritch, Kirk Gambrell, L.B. Gambrell, Bill Spain and Scott Smith.
Memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, Capital of Texas Chapter, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090-6011.
E-mail condolences may be sent to whhfuneral1@verizon.net or log onto www.whhfuneralhome.com for online condolences.