Marilyn Small Judkins

Marilyn Small Judkins, age 74, of Newport, NC, passed away on March 24, 2025, at her residence. She was born July 10, 1950, in Wilmington, NC, while her father served in the US Coast Guard. They were also stationed in Portsmouth, Norfolk, and Brooklyn, NY, living on 53rd Street, attended PS180 school and later moved to their hometown of Newport, NC; specifically in the Mill Creek area until retirement at Fort Macon.

She was a member of Life Point Church, pastored by Rev. Ray Conner. Life Point is an awesome group of believers sharing the love of Jesus and letting people know of their importance. Salvation is of the Lord.

Marilyn loved children, and retired after twenty years of an early childhood development career. Her retirement, at 62, was at St. James Day Care and Preschool at the United Methodist Church in Newport. She gave the children Christian life perspective for guidance. She participated in a children's music ministry in Wilmington, NC, playing piano and singing songs of Christian joy to encourage their young minds and hearts. She and her husband moved to Newport about twenty-one years ago as she continued her career.

There was a time when she was an avid reader, completing a book in a couple days, and then starting another.

She was the impact editor for her husband's Christian book-writing ministry, pointing out how a sentence or paragraph could impact a reader and if it should be adjusted.

Her passion was home decorating, fashion, pencil art, doll collectibles, Gospel music, collecting cookbooks, flower arranging, enjoying the beach, family gatherings, photography, and eating seafood. She was an alumna of the New York Institute of Photography. She was a great artist and enjoyed the piano.

She loved her family and friends very much, especially her husband. She said he was her protector and safe place. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and sister. The family cherishes her memories.

She graduated from West Carteret High School in Morehead City, NC, in 1969. She later received Early Childhood Development education from Cape Fear Community College, Brunswick Community College, and, Carteret Community College. She also studied Christian counseling at home.

She and her husband met at Pine Valley Baptist Church in Wilmington, NC, and a year later married on the restored historic 106-year-old and 102-foot schooner "Pioneer" temporarily moored in the Cape Fear River. They were teased about having a December 31st wedding to get a tax break, funny, but not the case. They wanted to start the new year as being married. The wedding was the last video clip on Wilmington's TV-6 news of 1991, and the Star News newspaper wrote a story about the wedding in their next day's January 1st edition.

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 33 years, Dr. Joe Judkins; her son Allen Child, and wife Jodi; three grandchildren, Allison, John Thomas, and Liam, all of Greensboro, NC; twin sister Carolyn Jones, and husband Mike of Morehead City, NC; and sister, Vicky McCue, and husband Keith of Knightdale, NC.

A memorial service will be held at Life Point Church, 1185 Hibbs Rd., Newport, NC at 2:00pm on April 6, 2025 with Pastor Ray Conner officiating. Instead of flowers, please consider donating a gift in her name to The Hope Mission Ministry in Morehead City, NC.

She is greatly missed, but greatly welcomed by Jesus and other family members in Heaven. I want to give a great big thank you to Gentiva Hospice Care of Swansboro, NC, for their incredible loving kindness, direction, and compassion. I could not have journeyed this experience without them. As her husband, I'm glad I chose to care for her at home these last days. God bless our family, you, and everyone.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net

Arrangements by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home, Morehead City, NC.