Judith Lane Adams Byerly

Judith Lane Adams Byerly passed away peacefully on the morning of May 19, 2026, in Richardson, TX. She was a beacon to everyone she encountered. She shined without trying. She made every space feel more alive and her presence left people better than she found them. Grammy Juju made the ordinary special.

She was born on December 21, 1947, in Dunn, NC, to Kathleen Womack and Wayron “Pete” Adams. Judy’s roots were firmly established in Angier, NC, alongside her brothers and sisters and numerous Adams cousins and kinfolk. She was the first in her family to attend college and graduated with a degree in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She married the one who always had her heart – her constant – Walter Eugene Byerly, Jr., of Asheville, NC, on November 18, 1973, beginning the greatest love story that’s never been told.

Judy worked as a teacher, business consultant, and an eternal volunteer over her many years. She loved everyone she met with open hands, a steadfast heart and a glass of sweet tea. But her true passion lay with those dearest to her: her family. Her love wrapped around her family like shelter. As the eldest of five children she was a guide, a mentor, a confidant, a steady foundation on which everyone leaned. As a wife of 53 years, she stood next to Gene with strength. grace, deep friendship, admiration, and a love that endured through every season of life. And as a mother and then grandmother, Judy was the consummate cheerleader, the truth teller, the believer, and the porch light that was always on.

Judy is survived by her beloved husband, Gene Byerly, of Richardson, and their two daughters and their families: Brittney and Kyle Burdick, of Montgomery, TX, and their children, Cana, Micah, Charis and Asher Burdick; Jordan and Kirk Benners, of Richardson, and their children, Raelynn, Jackson, and Ryann Lane Benners. She is also survived in North Carolina by her two sisters and their families, and a brother: Donna Kay and Cecil Baker and their children, Amanda and Matthew Baker, Bonnie Lou and Joey Hampton and her son Eric Matthews, and David Coolidge Adams. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Kathleen and “Pete” Adams, and by her brother, Ricky Joe Adams.

There will be a memorial gathering at Lakeside United Methodist Church, Streetman, TX, on Sunday, May 31, at 10:45 a.m. Inurnment in Asheville will take place at Green Hills Cemetery later in summer 2026.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Lakeside United Methodist Church, 515 FM 416, Streetman, TX, 75859, (430) 413-4278.

Groce Funeral Home on Patton Ave. is assisting the family.