Joyce Louise VanSant Judge, 90, was called home to be with the Lord on Saturday, February 14th, 2026 following the "long goodbye" of dementia. She passed from this life gently in her daughter's home, with her daughter holding her hand. Joyce was the youngest of ten children, and was born on August 19th, 1935 to Vernon Vaughn VanSant and Jessie Milton Jones VanSant in Mount Victory, Kentucky.

Joyce is survived by her sisters Emily VanSant Howard of Chattanooga, TN and Frances VanSant Edwards (Robert) of Lexington, KY. She is survived by a daughter, Marcia Judge Rotty of Sellersville, PA; two sons, David Allan Judge (Cynthia) of Jacksonville, AL and Daniel Franklin Judge of Knoxville, TN; five grandchildren, Elise Ivey Wright (William), Jeremy Rotty (Ashley), Gaelyn Amick (Stephen), Cory Judge, and Allison Judge (Hayden), as well as eight great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents Vernon Vaughn VanSant and Jessie Milton Jones VanSant; her seven brothers: Benjamin Franklin, William Russell, Vernon Vaughn, Philip Hudgins, Daniel Milton, Jesse Francis, and Cecil Thomas VanSant; one son, Mark Andrew Judge Jr, and the father of her children Mark Andrew Judge Sr.

Joyce's childhood was spent in Kentucky on her family's farm where she was free to roam and to let her imagination soar while playing "bank" and "cooking" with her sister, Frances, in a wooded area they called The Grove. Joyce's father taught her to play the piano and to ride her beloved pony, Rollo. She graduated from Berea College in 1958 with a dual degree in Business and Physical Education. During this period she cultivated three of her great lifelong devotions: family, music, and UK athletics. She met her husband Mark at Berea, and the couple soon moved to Nashville for Mark's medical training at Vanderbilt University. Along the way, Joyce raised the couple's four children Marcia, Mark Jr., David and Daniel, and worked as the office manager for Mark Sr.'s medical practice. She became an enthusiastic grandmother and great-grandmother later in life.

Joyce was a tireless advocate for the mentally ill. Joyce's advocacy work led her to found the Tennessee Alliance for the Mentally Ill thirty-eight years ago and to become its first Executive Director. In this capacity she spoke to the U.S. Congress to advocate for insurance benefits for mental health care, strove tirelessly to help destigmatize mental illness, and provided tangible support for individuals and their families experiencing mental health crises. These efforts underscore her tremendous empathy, open-mindedness, and adventurous spirit. Despite tremendous hardships, grief, and challenges throughout life, she never lost her abiding joy and positive spirit, and her fundamental drive to help others no matter what.

Joyce was an avid gardener, an enthusiastic pianist, and a ruthlessly competitive player of Scrabble and Chinese Checkers. Often, she did these things with a grandchild or great-grandchild 'helping' her! Her wordplay and silliness gave the impression of a soul that remained forever young. She was a treasured aunt to her beloved nieces and nephews. Later in life she became an early adopter of new technologies, and was guided by curiosity, hopefulness, and good humor. She was a lifelong, devout believer in Christ who helped foster a similar abiding faith in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Joyce's remains will be cremated per her request. A memorial service will be held at Mt. Victory Christian Church at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to NAMI Tennessee, 131 Sanders Ferry Rd. Suite B, Hendersonville, TN 37075 or you may donate online at namitn.org/get-involved/ways-to-give/

Arrangements are by Sadler-Suess Funeral Home & Crematory, 33 N. Main Street, Telford, PA  18969. sadlersuess@comcast.net