Judith Fenlason

Judith E. Custer Fenlason (“Judy”), age 80, went to be with Jesus on Saturday, October 15th, 2022, in Hickory, North Carolina after a brief battle with brain cancer.

Born Judith Lavelle Evans on April 30, 1942 in Columbus, Georgia to Isaac Cuthbert Evans, III and Ethel Lavelle Mauldin, she grew up in Hickory and attended Oakwood Elementary School. She later moved with her family to Maryland in 1955, and she was a 1960 graduate of Havre de Grace High School.

Judy was married to the late James Monroe “Sonny” Miller of Hickory from 1960-1966, when he passed away. She was subsequently married to Dr. Karl D. Custer of Winchester, Virginia from 1967 until his death in 2013.

Judy worked in a variety of office positions for various companies over the years. She also taught elementary school and assisted her husband as office manager of Custer Chiropractic Clinic (Winchester, VA) for many years. Judy’s hobbies and interests included crafts, sewing, playing word games, traveling and visiting with her family. Her primary passion, however, was sharing the love of Jesus with everyone she met, mentoring younger Christian women, and being heavily involved in ministries at her church.

Judy was pre-deceased by her parents and her brother Bert Evans. She is survived by her husband Harris Fenlason, whom she married in 2017.

She is also survived by her sister Margaret Jeannine Glaze, of Hickory; her three children: Clayton M. Custer (Becky) of Greenville, SC; Marsha J. Landry (Peter) of Cary, NC; and Jonathan D. Custer (Cassie) of Greenville, SC. She is also survived by 12 grandchildren (Sarah, Drew, Madison, Nicolas, Wil, Esther, Sophia, Gideon, Ava, Nathan, Clayton, and Eli) and five great grandchildren (Carson, Emma, Isaac, Tyler and Heidi), each of whom she loved greatly.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 22nd, 2022, at 12:00 PM at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 1225 29th Ave. Dr. NE, Hickory, NC 28601. Visitation will be held 10:00 AM Saturday, October 22nd, 2022, at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Hickory.

Interment will immediately follow the service at Oakwood Cemetery in Hickory.

In lieu of flowers, Judy requested that donations be considered for The “Tabernacle Fund” (to be used for their Wonderfully Made/special needs school and the new building project).