July 9, 1946 - April 29, 2026
Judith Alma (Gillespie) Tyson, age 79, of Smithwick, South Dakota went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 29, 2026. She was born on July 9, 1946 in Camden, Arkansas to Harry and Marie Gillespie.
After graduating high school she attended Beautician School and worked as a hairdresser in Little Rock, Arkansas. This is where she met David Tyson on a blind date and they were married six months later. Judy was a strawberry blonde whirlwind with a southern accent. She loved cooking meals from scratch and always making enough food to share. She prided herself for her homemade biscuits and desserts. She loved people and they loved her. Judy loved meeting and talking to people, making friends with everyone she met. She loved the Lord. She was a member of the Joy Community Baptist Church Hot Springs, South Dakota.
She loved new adventures and traveling, especially visiting Scotland. Being married to a serviceman led her to living in Okinawa, Japan for two years. While living in Louisiana, Judy enjoyed adventures such as riding her own dirt bike with friends. She ran a general store and served as a postmaster for a small community.
After some years of living in Louisiana, Judy moved with her husband to Hot springs, South Dakota where they purchased a Hotel built in the late 1910’s. They remodeled this building that was currently occupied by rabbits into a beautiful home.
While living in South Dakota, Judy had a variety of job opportunities she loved and excelled in. She continued applying her hairdressing skills by cutting the hair of friends and families out of her home. However, It wasn’t uncommon for her to barter goods for services of haircut. She worked for a cattle rancher as a field cook during cattle roundup. She had a postal mail route in and around Oelrichs and served as a teacher’s aid in a one room schoolhouse in Smithwick. Judy served as a driver at a day workshop for intellectually disabled people, transporting them around town to their appointments. She formed close relationships with the members she chauffeured.
Judy went on to operate the Hot Springs airport for several years and enjoyed flying in their own small aircraft while piloted by her husband. She shared her southern hospitality by cooking large meals and often inviting visitors to join. Word spread quickly about her southern cooking and she frequently found herself feeding large crowds at the airport. Judy always sought learning new skills and worked for a local chiropractor for several years as support technician. Judy finished her long career span by managing D-J Petroleum Company that she coowned with her husband for 20 years.
Judy is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, David Tyson; brother, Richard Gillespie (Ruth); sister, Alice Phillips (Kyle); nieces, Becky Gillespie Fry (Jeff), Kristine Phillips; and nephew, Sean Phillips (Alex).
Lovingly known as Aunt JuJu, she is also survived by several nieces and nephews as well as great-nieces and a great-nephew.
In keeping with her wishes Judy will be cremated, and her ashes will be buried in family plots in Waterproof, Louisiana. Grave side memorial service will be held at the time of burial. Date and time has not been set.