of Havana, AR

January 15, 1951 - October 3, 2025

Judy Kay Mann Lane Lear Johnson, 74, of Little Rock, Arkansas passed away peacefully on October 3, 2025. She was born on January 15, 1951 in Little Rock to Johnny Ernest Mann, Sr. and Dorothy Iola Bright Mann.

Judy was a present and loving mother, a dedicated and caring wife and a nurturing grandmother. A self-proclaimed Southern belle, she cherished her upbringing on the Mann Dairy Farm, where she developed a lifelong love of nature and the land.

Later in life, Judy found great joy spending quiet summer afternoons among her lilies, roses and begonias, alongside her beloved family. She never met a plant she couldn't save and could identify nearly every Arkansas plant and tree. Each summer and autumn, she cultivated a vibrant and productive vegetable garden, a skill lovingly passed down from her father.

A woman of remarkable creativity, Judy was a talented Sewist who designed and made her own clothing and accessories, often crocheting or knitting gifts for those she loved. Her home was always filled with warmth, the scent of fresh-baked Christmas treats she made and gifted each year to family and friends. Judy also explored another passion; writing. She took creative writing courses and began documenting her life stories, preserving her memories in her own words.

Judy is survived by her husband, Roger Johnson; daughter, Dorothy C. Lane; son, Kenneth S. Lear and daughter-in-law, Amanda Lear; grandchildren, Gideon Butterwick, Austin Lear and Elijah Lear; a great-daughter-in-law, Alexandria and great-grandchild, Lorelai; as well as family partners, Jason Yurkunas and Lorin Stanley. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Dorothy Mann and her husband, Kenneth CL Lear.

Judy will be remembered for her gentleness, boundless creativity and deep love for her family. Heaven gained a gardener of souls; her love continues to blossom beyond this life.

 

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