Judy Alice Crittenden Winfrey

Judy Alice Crittenden Winfrey was born August 15, 1933 to the late Herbert Victor Crittenden and Hattie Alexander Crittenden in Old Hickory, Tennessee, in the Hopewell community, where the family joined and served at the First Baptist Church of Hopewell.

Judy graduated from Haynes High School in 1951.

She immediately pursued her passion of helping others and studied at Riverside Hospital to become a licensed practical nurse.

In 1955, Judy married Burnice Winfrey, who had moved to Nashville from Mississippi to attend Tennessee State University. To this union five children were born — Karla Loray, Burnice Jr., and Cardale Monoleo of Nashville; Carlton Crittenden of Seattle, Washington, and Victor Christopher of Atlanta.

While working as a nurse, Judy was a supportive business partner in Burnice Winfrey Disposal Service, a business founded by her husband that served metro Nashville for more than 50 years.

Her nursing career was a testament to her compassionate demeanor and can-do spirit.

While working as a nurse and being a mother to four children, Judy studied at night at the University of Tennessee at Nashville to become a registered nurse. She earned an associate degree in nursing on June 2, 1973. Eight days later, Cardale was born.

Judy was one of the first Black nurses at Vanderbilt Medical Center and later worked as a supervising nurse at Bordeaux Hospital.

Judy found joy in serving the Lord. She was a proud and dedicated member of Faith United Missionary Baptist Church, where she sang in its choir, was a member of the Faithful Ladies Auxiliary, the Deaconess Board and later chairperson of the church’s Finance Committee.

Judy was proud of her Crittenden family and her Old Hickory roots, especially being from Hopewell. She will be remembered for her love of family - including her church family - her chocolate pies and caramel cakes, marathon telephone conversations, singing and strumming her guitar at family gatherings, her attempts at match-making and her incredible sense of humor, accentuated by her infectious laugh.

In 2016, she became the face of Winfrey Foods, a condiment company that features her mother’s chow chow recipe from the 1930s. She enjoyed making public appearances presenting Winfrey Foods at retailers where her conversations with customers would inevitably turn to Old Hickory or her church.

Besides her children she is survived by three grandchildren, Reed Winfrey of Detroit, Karli Winfrey of New Orleans and Gavin Winfrey of Nashville; daughter-in-law Natasha Winfrey of Nashville and daughter-in-law and end of life caregiver Carlette Reed Winfrey of Seattle; an aunt, Emma Walton of Nashville; brother-in-law William Thomas and sister-in-law Geraldine Winfrey, both of Nashville, and dozens of nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews and cousins.

She is also preceded in death by her parents and husband, and by her siblings, Dorothy Thomas, Douglas Eugene Crittenden, Bessie Crittenden Leonard, Floyd Thomas Crittenden and Eleanor McGowan.

In lieu of flowers, gifts of love can be made to Faith United Missionary Baptist Church for its expansion project at: 600 Revels Drive, Nashville, TN 37207. https://www.fumb.org/give

Livestreaming at https://www.fumb.org/give