Shirley Judkins, age 85, of Lebanon, TN, passed away on May 10, 2025. Shirley is survived by daughter Teresa Harris (Clark) Sampson, granddaughters Jenny Hall (Brian) Hocker, Lauren Harris, Sarah Grace Harris, and Allie Hunter, sister Elizabeth Johnson, and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by Dorothy Judkins, daughter Kim Hall-Hunter, parents Allie Mae and Odus Judkins, and brothers Odell Judkins and Carl Judkins.
The Funeral Service is 1 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2025 in the chapel of Sellars Funeral Home, Lebanon TN. Interment in Wilson County Memorial will follow the service. Pallbearers: Tim Bates, Daniel Sampson, Chris Ferrell, Luke Judkins, Brian Hocker, Matt Ferrell, and John Ferrell.
The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 3-8 p.m. and on Friday from 10 a.m. until the service at 1 p.m.
Shirley Lloyd Judkins was born in Lancaster TN to Allie Mae Bennett Judkins and Odus Judkins. Shirley was born into a loving family with humble beginnings in DeKalb County, Tennessee, and graduated from Liberty High School. He met the love of his life, Dorothy, at a small diner in Watertown. According to her, it was love at first sight.
Not long after, they were married at Shop Springs Baptist Church, where they remained lifelong members of the Shop Springs community. Together, they built a home and raised a loving family.
Shirley began his career in construction, including work on the Cordell Hull Dam. His path later led him to the restaurant business, thanks to his brother-in-law Jerry Ferrell. Together, they opened Superburger on North Cumberland Street in Lebanon, Tennessee. It quickly became a cherished family endeavor.
His wife, Dorothy, worked by his side, and later, his brother-in-law Donald Ferrell joined the partnership. For 30 years, Superburger was more than just a restaurant-it was a gathering place where employees and customers became like family.
The couple retired in 1999, closing a treasured chapter and returning to their shared passion: farming the land they had purchased in 1976. Shirley found joy in many things, from raising Tennessee Walking Horses-established on his farm in the mid-1970s-to coon hunting, gardening, and staying deeply involved in the lives of his children and grandchildren.
His legacy lives on in the faces of his family, the field of red clover, the flourishing koi pond, and numerous fruit and pecan trees, all located on his farm.
This obituary was published by Sellars Funeral Home.
Obituaries provided free for the community.
This obituary was published by Obituaries provided free for the community.
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