Judith Kaye Lott of Springfield died on June 23, 2026. She remained alert and spirited in her final days, comforted by her family and friends who gathered with her and shared stories of her life and impact.

A celebration of Judy's life will be held at First United Methodist Church on Tuesday, June 30, at 11 a.m. with a short visitation with family to follow at the church.  In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to Animal Protective League of Springfield.

Judy was born July 18, 1936, at Memorial Hospital in Springfield, the daughter of G. William and Pauline (Surman) Horsley.  Her only sibling, Bill Horsley Jr., preceded her in death.

Judy was a graduate of Springfield High School, Gulf Park College, and Illinois Wesleyan University.  She married Richard L. Lott on July 19, 1958, at First Methodist Church of Springfield.

After their wedding, Judy and Richard moved to Oxnard, CA during his active duty in the U.S. Navy.  Their eldest son, Eric, was born in the naval hospital at Port Hueneme.  The family moved to Madison, Wisconsin where Judy worked at Stephan and Brady Advertising as Richard attended law school at the University of Wisconsin.  They moved back to Springfield in 1963 where they raised their family, including a second son Brian, born in 1964 at St. John's Hospital.

Judy had a distinguished and varied career, selling Mary Kay Cosmetics, obtaining her realtor's license and working as a broker at Tom Hamilton Real Estate, and then venturing into health care in executive and administrative roles.  She was Director of Professional Development at Humana Hospital, also serving as Chair of the hospital's board.  She recruited more than 22 additional physicians to Springfield and enrolled over 12,000 state employees into a newly-created Humana HMO.

Judy joined the SIU School of Medicine as administrator of the school's OB/GYN department.  She also helped found the Prairie State Sports Medicine Center and the Springfield Stroke Center.  For several years Judy served as President of the American Managers of Obstetrician and Gynecology (AMGO).

Judy was deeply committed to the Springfield community and demonstrated it through various volunteer activities: service on PTA boards, promoting school bond referenda, and involvements with the Junior League, the Copley First Citizen committee, and the First Methodist Church of Springfield.

Judy led something of a glamorous life.  She was a lover of horses and showed them in her youth.  She was a model at Van Law's Department Store and elsewhere; a guide, in costume, for school tours at Lincoln's Home; and a high-kicker in the Junior League follies.  She was a patient and studious tennis player, aficionado, and tennis mother.  And she was a fine musician, a skilled pianist and superb four-mallet marimba player.

Judy Lott was devoted to her family and celebrated all of their achievements, great and small.  Survivors include husband, Richard Lott; sons, Eric (Cindi Katz) and Brian (Noura Sadaka); and three grandchildren, Cory Fraiman-Lott, Cyril Stephan, and Mario Stephan.