Someone has said, “If you want to see what the future holds, ask a teacher.” Another wise person said, “If your vision is for a year, plant pumpkins. If your vision is for decades, plant trees. If your vision is for a lifetime, educate people.” Judy Lee Myer was a beloved preschool teacher who has planted many seeds that have blossomed into a beautiful legacy. She passed away and entered the presence of her Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on December 15, 2023.

Most people affectionately remember her as “Miss Judy.” She, with her late husband Jim, were members at Severna Park Baptist Church (SPBC) since 1973. For 50 years she sought to make a difference in the Severna Park community. And there are at least a couple metaphors that describe her life well.

Judy was like a tree.

In Psalm 1, the Bible describes a person who has faith in God is like a tree with strong roots that yields fruit in every season. Miss Judy emulated this metaphor. Like many, her faith journey began with the deep roots of her parents and family. Her family attended Riverside Baptist Church in Baltimore before she was a child; she grew up within the church and her faith started with learning about the gospel of Jesus and God’s word at a young age. As Judy grew, so did her faith, and being 7-years old she trusted in Jesus Christ as her Savior and Lord and followed in baptism. Judy’s faith blossomed into a beautiful display of service to Jesus and others. She was not perfect example, but her faith was planted in the fertile soil of God’s grace.

Judy was like a train.

One of Judy’s favorite Scriptures verses was Proverbs 22:7 “Train up a child in the way they should go; even when they’re old, they will not depart from it.” Judy’s faith was not only strong because she read Scripture but because she applied it. This verse became her life motto and ministry passion as she added cars to her train by helping to start a preschool at SPBC in 1975. She commenced as a teacher and after a handful of years became the director of the Weekday Early Education (WEE) center.

For 40 years Judy kept the train running with classroom education and a creative curriculum for children to learn. She planned holiday programs and special calendar events throughout the year: whether it was fun art projects, memorable songs to learn character traits or curriculum goals, donuts with dads, mother’s day out events, or my personal favorite the Christmas programs with the cookie fellowship afterwards. All of these became long-lasting traditions for families, in which over the course of 40-years there were children who eventually became parents and then sent their children through the WEE center. Around 2005, her labor was recognized by the state of Maryland with a plaque from the Governor for being a teacher of the year.

Judy understood that children were like wet cement and wanted to leave a lasting impression on them with the love of Jesus Christ. She poured her time and talents into children and families, and this is her legacy. She also took personal pride that all her grandchildren “graduated” from the WEE Center, and that many former students when they saw her in public would mention to her the impact she had on their life; she was like a local Severna Park celebrity.

In addition to the WEE Center, she was a faithful presence and participant in the ministries of SPBC. She volunteered for women’s ministry fellowships, served on various ministry teams, organized family events like hayrides, retreats, and special church anniversaries. Personally, my first year as pastor, my interaction with Judy was her leading a team organizing the church’s 50^th anniversary in 2010. It was a full 3-day weekend celebration with worship services and invited guests with multiple pastors, musicians, photograph memories and art, lots of food and sweet fellowship. Judy knew the pulse of the church and for many years she was the glue that held things together when certain seasons there was temptation for things to fall apart. She was a prayer partner to families and friends, a soul sister, a special friend, and good neighbor. Her death causes us grief, but her life and memory are a treasured blessing for so many. Thankfully, today SPBC is a place with many growing trees and traveling trains because of the investments of people like Miss Judy. And we know that when we invest in a child, we will never go bankrupt.

Judy was predeceased by her devoted husband of 58 years, James O. Myer, Jr., as well as her dear brother, Bill Hicks.  She is survived by her loving children, Jodi Lynn Myer and James Steven Myer; her cherished grandchildren, Julia Marshall, Jacob Taylor Myer, and Sara Nicole Myer; her dear step-grandchildren, Seth and Rachel Pailet; and her cherished great-grandson, Devon Lee Marshall.