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Family Note: "San Pedro Valley News-Sun"
A grieving family, the community and countless law enforcement officials bid farewell on Wednesday to Jimmy V. Judd, a loved and respected Cochise County and San Pedro Valley icon. Judd, 72, a former Cochise County sheriff, justice of the peace and city magistrate in Benson, lost his battle with cancer on Friday.
During the services attended by about 900 people and held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Benson, one thing remained apparent: While Judd is gone, his memory will live on as he touched the hearts and lives of many. The overwhelming show of love and sheer number of people who attended to pay their last respects was in no way a surprise, said Sam Judd, Jimmy Judd's first cousin. "I think this kind of attendance is well-deserved," he said. "Jimmy helped a lot of people politically, and a lot of people financially. He did all of this without any fanfare. He had a lot of love for this county. His friends and family loved him, and his enemies may not have liked him, but they respected him."
Judd's son Virgil said the family "is overwhelmed by all the people." "I really think Dad would have loved to see this," he said. Virgil, who chronicled his father's life, at times fighting back tears, said that while his dad's love for his family was always top priority, the love his father had for helping others was not far behind.
Judd served an unprecedented four terms as Cochise County sheriff starting in 1976. In 1994, he was off the streets as a lawman but on the judicial bench, having been appointed city magistrate and Precinct 3 justice of the peace in Benson. Longtime Pima County Sheriff Clarence Dupnik attended the service to pay a last homage to an old friend. He first met Judd in the 1950s when they competed against each other in high school sports. "I remember we dreaded coming down here to play baseball against all those Judds," he said. "Jimmy was a good athlete." Judd, a 1951 graduate of St. David High School, excelled in football, basketball and baseball.
As an adult, Dupnik said Judd embodied the office of sheriff and set an example for all law enforcement. "Jimmy was an icon," he said. "The Dean of Arizona sheriffs. He was always a fine lawman and the epitome of professionalism in all respects." Navajo County Sheriff Gary Butler, who said it was Judd who "taught me how to be a politician," also attended the services. "He was one of the finest guys I have ever met," he said. "When I became sheriff (1988), Jimmy took me under his wing and taught me politics, and believe me, he knew what he was doing. He could get even the Legislature to bow down to him. He was smooth."
As sheriff, Virgil said there was one "defining moment" that will forever be linked to his father's career. That was the Oct. 23, 1982, shooting between Cochise County Sheriff's deputies and members of an all-black fundamentalist religious sect at the Christ Miracle Healing Center and Church in Miracle Valley about 20 miles southeast of Sierra Vista. The melee resulted in the death of two church members and several deputies were injured. "Dad always remembered that horrible day," he said. "And he felt responsible. He wished there was something he could have done to make that time a little bit easier." Paul Rubin, who reported on the Miracle Valley episode for the Sierra Vista Herald, recollected how Judd always kept his composure and dignity even in the most trying of circumstances. Rubin is currently a reporter for the New Times, an alternative newspaper in Phoenix. "Jimmy always maintained his sense of humor even under the worst of conditions," Rubin said. "Sometimes he may have come across to some as an Old West hick who didn't know what he was doing, but Jimmy always knew exactly what he was doing. What I always liked about Jimmy was that no matter the seriousness of the situation and impact it may have had on his department, he never took it personally. Jimmy is definitely going to be missed."
Another person who will miss Judd greatly is longtime friend and colleague Cochise County Sheriff Larry Dever. As a deputy under Judd, Dever was injured in the shooting in Miracle Valley, which drew national media attention. Dever, who was a speaker during the 90-minute service, said he may hold the office, but Judd is "The Sheriff." Dever recalled Judd's sense of humor. Recalling one story where Judd decided to drive through a flooded underpass in Bisbee despite deputies' warnings against, Dever said Judd just told the officer directing traffic, "I'm the High Sheriff, and I'll go that way if I want." And he did. "We learned that day that not only could Jimmy not drive in water, he could not walk on water either," said Dever, drawing a round of laughter from the large crowd. "I had some memorable times working with the sheriff," Dever said. "He taught us to look at things from a different perspective in order to solve our problems. "I've been trying to get a grasp of my emotions," he added. "I'm not sad, I'm not very depressed, but I feel very empty. I feel very void. I can't get a hold of what it is that I miss, but I know that I miss him very dearly."
Mike Brock, a longtime Cochise County Sheriff's Office detective, said he enjoyed working under Judd. "He really just let you do your job," he said. "And if you did it correctly, he wouldn't bother you."
Robert Houston, another longtime deputy, remembered Judd as a man of impeccable principle and integrity. "He was fair in all of his dealings and he was very considerate of others. Jimmy was an institution," said Houston.
Officers and deputies of Cochise County, Pima County, Santa Cruz, Navajo county sheriffs and the Benson, Sierra Vista and Tucson Police departments and the Arizona Rangers also attended the service.
During the memorial, Les Thompson, former county supervisor for District 3, which includes Benson, provided the invocation, and Sam Sanders, a counselor in the Bishopric for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, conducted the services. Sanders said he knew Judd for the last 33 years and had the honor of driving him for medical treatment in his last days. "Jimmy was probably one of the fairest, most honest and trustworthy men I have known," he said. "As sheriff he was fearless, and as a judge was fair and wise in his decisions."
Moving those in attendance by song were several of Judd's family. His daughters sang one of Judd's favorite hymns, '"How Great Thou Art," and his grandchildren sang one of his favorite songs, "It's a Small World After All." His nieces gave a moving performance of "No Greater Hero."
In a short but touching ceremony at the grave site at St. David Cemetery, Judd's granddaughter played a solo on her saxophone, while the Cochise County Honor Guard gave Judd's wife, Edna Tilton Judd, the American flag in tribute to a fallen veteran.
Judd, a Korean War veteran, was honored with white doves as Sgt. Bob Saunders, of the Tucson Police Dept. Bagpipe Unit, offered a moving rendition of "Amazing Grace."
Judd is survived by Edna R. Tilton Judd, his wife of 49 years, daughters, Lyle (Rafael De La Cruz) and Margo; sons, Virgil (Michele) and Tye (Elisabeth); 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson; a brother, Tom; and a sister, Kathleen McNelly. Jimmy was preceded in death by a son, Morgan Judd.
Visitation was held Tuesday evening and prior to Wednesday's service. Judd was laid with his trademark cowboy hat and boots perched atop the casket.