Judy Duffman Lancaster

Judith “Judy” “Sissy” Tealie Duffman Lancaster, 74 of Lexington, KY passed away on Thursday June 25, 2026 at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington, KY.

Born on March 29, 1952, she was the Daughter of late Neal Cornwell Duffman and Emma Hazel Baughn(Duffman)

Heaven gained one feisty lady when Judith Tealie Duffman Lancaster, better known as Judy or Sissy, made her journey home. While she answered to many names over the years, her absolute favorites were Mom and Mamaw—titles she wore with more pride than anything else.

Judy is now reunited with the love of her life, her husband, Michael E. Lancaster, who has undoubtedly been waiting on her since 2007.

Left to carry on her legacy are her seven children: Vicki Lynn Merrill (Elmer), Richard Lee Delaney (Heather), Phillip Ward Gibson (Ashleigh), Barbra Ann Bagudu-Gibson (Abu), Adam Ray Gibson, Krystal Sue Gibson, and Mikka Todd Lancaster. She also loved her bonus children as her own: Beverly McAninch (Tim), Bill Ward Gibson, Carla Denny, and Cathy Elmore.

She also leaves behind the greatest treasures of her life, her grandchildren: Brian Gibson, Travis Gibson, Alicia Charles, Johnnie McAninch, Amy McAninch-Turpin, Jimmie Jo Napier, Justin Wilson, Eric Elmore, Brittany Elmore-Cook, Meaghan Marksberry, Brittany Delaney, Autumn Delaney, Angel Delaney, Dylan Gibson, Bentley Gibson, Azlan Bagudu-Gibson, Amir Bagudu-Gibson, Brittney Gilliam, Max Gilliam, Tyler Gibson, Abigail Gibson, Casey Bussell, Jasmine Bussell, and Zachariah Bussell, along with many great grandkids and extended family members and friends who were lucky enough to be loved by her.

If you knew Judy, you knew she had plenty of opinions and she wasn’t shy about sharing them. She was sassy, stubborn, quick-witted, and could make you laugh one minute and straighten you out the next. She liked things her way, and if you disagreed… well, you were probably wrong anyway.

She believed every day was a good day for a fresh coat of lipstick, painted nails, a hot cup of coffee, and an ice-cold Diet Coke. Looking her best wasn’t vanity—it was just Judy being Judy.

She spent much of her life farming, proving there wasn’t much she couldn’t do. She could grow it, can it, cook it, bake it, and somehow feed a house full of people with whatever happened to be in the pantry. Long before “homesteading” became trendy, Judy was living it every single day. She also worked at Olan Mills Photography, where she helped families capture memories while creating plenty of stories of her own.

More than anything, Judy loved her family with everything she had. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were her whole world. She celebrated their victories, worried over them constantly, spoiled them whenever she could, and never let them leave without knowing they were loved. If you were one of hers, you had a protector for life.

Our hearts are broken without her, but we can already picture Heaven adjusting to its newest resident. The angels are probably getting organized, the coffee pot is brewing, somebody’s being told how things ought to be done, and we’re willing to bet Judy has already found where they keep the Diet Coke.

She leaves behind countless memories, recipes that never needed measuring cups, lessons about hard work, and enough love to last generations.

So, the next time you crack open a Diet Coke, paint your nails, bake something from scratch, or tell someone exactly what you think with a little sass and a whole lot of love, smile and think of Judy.

Because that’s exactly what she would have wanted.

Forever our Mom. Forever our Mamaw. Forever our Sissy.

A memorial service will be held by the family Tuesday, June 30, 2026