Judith Ann (Sharp) Kirkpatrick
Judith Ann (Sharp) Kirkpatrick of Clinton passed away Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025.
Born in LaFollette to Elbert and Mary Lou (Vinsant) Sharp and raised in Habersham, Judy built a life centered on faith, family, joy and laughter.
Judy earned a bachelor of science degree in early childhood development from East Tennessee State University and a master’s degree in early childhood development from the University of Tennessee.
Teaching was not only her profession, but her calling. Former students remember her steady kindness, her laugh that could fill a hallway, and the way she made her classroom feel like a second home.
In 1963, Judy moved to Santa Maria, California, where she taught for a year before returning to Tennessee in 1964 to serve as the Maury County 4-H extension agent in Columbia for seven years.
Through 4-H, she mentored hundreds of young people, cheering their efforts, celebrating their blue ribbons, and teaching practical skills that built lifelong confidence.
While completing her master’s degree, Judy met the love of her life, Frank David Kirkpatrick.
They were married in June 1971 at First Presbyterian Church in Columbia.
After moving to Clinton, Judy served as the Anderson County 4-H extension agent from 1971–73, then stepped into her favorite role of all — raising her three children — before returning to the classroom.
From 1982 to 2015, Judy taught science and home economics at Norris Middle School. For more than three decades, she guided generations of students, mixing baking lessons with life lessons, and lab safety with curiosity, and always a generous measure of encouragement. Every errand around town turned into a reunion, as former students greeted her with smiles and stories of where life had taken them.
Judy and her family were longtime members of Memorial United Methodist Church in Clinton.
After retirement, Judy stayed joyfully busy. She was an active member of the Wednesday Club of Clinton, loved volunteering, and treasured spending time with dear friends at monthly meetings. Wherever she went, Judy made people feel welcome. One friend said, “If she was breathing, she was laughing.”
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 50 years, Frank David Kirkpatrick; parents, Elbert and Mary Lou Sharp; and brother, James Elbert Sharp.
She is survived by her brother, Hugh Calloway Sharp; children, Jennifer (Jamie) Justus, Matt (Jan) Kirkpatrick, and Drs. Michael (Erin) Kirkpatrick; and grandchildren, Eli, Cal, Sharp, Lillian Kirk, Oliver, Maggie, Mary Lou, and Libby.
Judy had a laugh that lit up the room. Whether it was a silly giggle or a burst of joy, her laughter was a gift shared freely. It was the soundtrack of family gatherings and the comfort in hard times. Her joy reminded all who knew her that life is meant to be lived with warmth and humor. Her legacy lives on in every friend she loved, every child she encouraged, and every joyful spirit she inspired.
The family received friends from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at Memorial United Methodist Church, 323 N. Main St., Clinton. A celebration of life service followed. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 31, at Grandview Memorial Gardens.
In honor of Judy’s life, the family requests that memorials be made to the Wednesday Club of Clinton, P.O. Box 327, Clinton, TN 37717.
Holley-Gamble Funeral Home is proud to be serving the Kirkpatrick family.
holleygamble.com