Judy Juanita Hopkins Gordon, 76, from Belspring, Virginia went to her Heavenly home on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018 at their home on the New River.
She was born on the June 22, 1942 in West Jefferson, North Carolina to Elijah Thomas and Ida Leo Wilcox Hopkins. She graduated from Radford High School and was a proud ‘Candy Striper’ on track to enter nursing school until a handsome Marine Walter Russell Gordon of Christiansburg, Virginia swept her off her feet and married her on Jan. 22, 1960.
Judy was known as a loving and faithful wife as well as a devoted and compassionate mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Beyond loving and caring for her family, Judy loved serving others through ministering to the needs of those around the world both spiritually and physically. In 1969, she and Russell moved to Brazil as missionaries where they served the Lord faithfully for over 40 years. She adopted the country of Brazil as her own and has many spiritual children, sisters and brothers to whom she has provided great nurture and care. Our mother will be fondly remembered as providing incredible hospitality (hospitaleira) with her delicious cooking as well as her welcoming and gentle spirit.
In addition to her parents, Judy was preceded in death by her brothers Glenn Herbert Stike Jr., Gene Stike, Grant Joseph Hopkins and Charles Thomas Hopkins. She is survived by her devoted husband and 5 loving children, Cindy Gordon Baker of Winston-Salem, N.C., Sandy Gordon Redick (David) of St. Paris, Ohio, Susan Gordon Lackey (Stephen) of Floyd, Va., Walter Russell Gordon, Jr. (Kimberly) of Dubai, UAE, Andrea Kristina Jones (Mark) of Cincinnati, Ohio; 18 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren and many nephews and nieces.
We will receive family and friends for visitation from 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, and for the Celebration of Her Life service at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 31 at Gethsemane Baptist Church, Radford, Virginia.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Baptist Mid-Missions, PO Box 308011, Cleveland, OH 44130-8011 to support the construction of a church building in the interior of Brazil ‘Paraiba Pombal Project’.
The Gordon family is in the care of Mullins Funeral Home & Crematory in Radford, Virginia.
