(From Parker Mortuary)
Judith "Judy" Marie Petty
"She loved big and she gave fiercely"
Judith "Judy" Marie Petty did very little by half measures. She was bold, fiercely loyal, quick-witted and rarely at a loss for an opinion. She loved people deeply, laughed often and approached life as something meant to be fully lived.
Judy was born November 30, 1940, in Galena, Illinois, to Joseph and Juanita Havel Nolan. She grew up with a love of animals, broke her fair share of horses and became an avid fisherman. Life eventually brought Judy to Joplin, Missouri, and to Frank Petty. Initially looking for an employee, Frank ultimately found far more than he bargained for. The two married on April 15, 1970, beginning a life together centered around family, friends, community and the Joplin institution that became Frank's Lounge.
For more than 55 years, Judy was a fixture at Frank's, where the distinction between friends and family was often difficult to find. She was known to say that they only served family, because once you walked through the doors, that was exactly what you became. There was plenty of laughter, too, and Judy was often responsible for it. More than one promotion at Frank's came with a catch. An "alarm clock" giveaway once awarded the winner a rooster, while the lucky recipient of a new "lawnmower" went home with a goat.
Following Frank's passing in 2002, Judy continued running the lounge they had built together. In doing so, she carried on not only Frank's name, but a place that had become an important part of their lives and the Joplin community.
Then came May 22, 2011, and the tornado that devastated the town Judy called home. In a city faced with the enormous task of rebuilding, Judy rebuilt too. Five months to the day after the tornado touched down, Frank's Lounge opened its doors once again, becoming the first business destroyed by the storm to rebuild and reopen.
As it turned out, even the Joplin tornado couldn't reckon with the force of nature that was Judy Petty.
But for all the people who knew Judy through Frank's and throughout Joplin, the people at the center of her world were her family. Her love was rarely passive. She showed it through home-cooked Sunday meals, memorable holiday traditions and a determination to make the people she loved feel celebrated. She loved her children fiercely. Her grandchildren, however, occupied a category all their own. For years, Judy donned an Easter Bunny costume to personally deliver baskets to her grandchildren, and she was rarely above overriding the occasional parental "no" on their behalf. She loved having her people together, talking, laughing, eating, and simply sharing life.
Her faith was reflected in much the same way: in her devotion to family, her generosity toward others and the fellowship she created wherever she went. Judy's family takes comfort in knowing that hers was a life of purpose, devotion and enduring love. She will be deeply missed, but remembered for the kindness she gave so generously, the strength with which she lived, the laughter she created and the fierce love she had for the people fortunate enough to call her their own.
Judy died September 12, 2026, in Joplin, Missouri, at the age of 85.
She leaves behind her children, Steve Petty of Grove, Oklahoma; Frank Petty Jr. and Susan of Joplin, Missouri; Loretta Rolland and Jerry of Nixa, Missouri; Joe Purcell and Joan of Santa Maria, California; Bob Purcell and Julie of Miami, Oklahoma; and Dianna "Annie" Thompson and Jeff of Joplin, Missouri, 12 grandkids and just as many great grandkids.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Frank Petty; her sister Joann Zane and her parents, Joseph and Juanita Havel Nolan.
Funeral service for Mrs. Judy Petty will take place on Thursday, September 17th at 10 a.m. at the Parker Mortuary chapel with Ty Walkenshaw officiating. The visitation will take place on Wednesday, September 16th from 6 to 8 p.m. at Parker Mortuary. Internment to follow at Ozark Memorial cemetery.
Memorial donations can be made to either Joplin Humane Society or Shriner's Children's Hospital in Judy's name.
