Judy Vernon

Judy Vernon, age 80, of Evant, passed away on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at her home, as a result of ALS.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Monday, May 23, 20222 at the First United Methodist Church in Evant.  Interment will be at Memorial Park Cemetery in Enid, Oklahoma.

Judith Ellen Cruikshank Vernon was born on May 6, 1941, in DeQuincy, Louisiana, to the late Louis and Helene Cruikshank. On her maternal side, she was a descendant of the LeBleu family, the first European settlers in Southwest Louisiana. On her paternal side, she was a descendant of the Stanfield family that fought in the Revolutionary War and that were early settlers in Texas. Her Cruikshank ancestors were settlers in the Alexandria/Colfax area in Louisiana.

Judy graduated from DeQuincy High School in 1959 and received a B.A. Degree from Rice University in 1963.  In 1973, she received a MA from Louisiana State University, and in 1981, a Juris Doctorate from South Texas College of Law.  She taught math in Louisiana and Texas from 1963 until 1981. She was in-house counsel for Armco Inc. and National Oilwell in Houston from 1981 through 1989.

In 1986, she married Leon N. Vernon and in 1989, they moved to the Vernon Ranch in Evant. She was appointed by then Gov. George W. Bush to serve on the Board of Directors of the Brazos River Authority.  She was elected in 1999 by the Board Members as the only woman president since the Board was established in 1929. After her tenure on the Board, she served as Chairman of the Coryell County Republican Party for five years. Since then, she has enjoyed being a full time “ranch hand.”

She was preceded in death by her parents, Louis and Helene Cruikshank in 1979 and 1999 respectively, and a son, Louis Henry Caskey in 1977.

Judy is survived by her husband, Leon, of Evant; son, Wayne Caskey of Katy; daughter, Ellen Bedingfield and husband, Russell Galbreath of Houston; three brothers, Bob Cruikshank of Houston, Tom Cruikshank and wife, Ann of Dallas, Bill Cruikshank and wife, Cindy of Destrehan, LA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Pearl Book Cottage, c/o Linda Ray, 1771 CR 152, Purmela, TX 76566.