Love's Cofounder Judy Love Passes Away
OKLAHOMA CITY — Judy Love, a celebrated philanthropist and cofounder of Love's Travel Stops, passed away on Nov. 5. She was 87 years old.
Judy and her late husband, Tom Love, founded family-owned Love's Travel Stops in 1964 with a $5,000 loan. Her financial acumen and dedication to the company's growth saw her serve as secretary and treasurer as Love's expanded into 42 states and more than 650 locations.
As the company stated, Judy's warm spirit, generosity and commitment to community service earned her widespread admiration. Her legacy of philanthropy will endure through her children — Greg, Laura, Jenny and Frank — as well as her nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
"Our mother, Judy Love, was the heart and soul of our family. She cared deeply for us and those who worked alongside her and Dad. Her tenacity, strength, and focus will guide us forever," said the Love Family. "She taught us the importance of hard work, honesty and the joy of giving back. While we will miss her dearly, her spirit will live on through the countless lives she touched."
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Convenience Store News spotlighted Tom and Judy Love among the most 50 influential people in the convenience store industry in 2019.
Born in 1937 in Chicago, Judy was the daughter of Ed and Ruth McCarthy. Her family relocated to Oklahoma City in 1942, where her father worked as a district manager in outdoor advertising. Judy graduated from Bishop McGuiness High School and Central Catholic High School.
While attending Oklahoma State University in 1956, she met Tom Love and they married on December 26, 1960. Together, they leased an abandoned service station in Watonga in 1964, which grew to 40 stores in eight years. From these beginnings, the Love's Family of Companies was started.
Skilled in finance, Judy managed the company's accounts and worked from their home. After stepping back from part-time work at Love's in 1975, she pursued her deep interest for interior design. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Central Oklahoma in 1981, followed by a master's and later established her design firm.
A Life of Servitude
Judy's passion for philanthropy led to the establishment of the Love Family Affiliated Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation in 1999, and the Tom and Judy Love Foundation in 2013.
In 2020, Judy was honored as Oklahoma Mother of the Year by American Mothers and received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the Oklahoma City chapter of the National Fundraising Professionals in 1999.
"Judy Love was an extraordinary woman with a huge heart for others and an inexhaustible joy of life. Her passion for family, friends, community and the Catholic Church inspired many," said close friend and former broadcaster, author and public official Jane Jayroe-Gamble. "Judy and Tom were a partnership made in Heaven, and their successful business reflects their hard work, dedication, and generosity. As we mourn her loss, let's celebrate her remarkable life, positive spirit, gifts of encouragement, and significant impact on our world."
[VIDEO: How Inclusion & Diversity Factor Into Love's Award-Winning Culture]
Judy cochaired the fundraising campaign to build the recently opened Love Family Women's Center at Mercy Hospital in Oklahoma City. The campaign included a lead gift of $10 million from the family.
"Judy was devoted to her Catholic faith and the charitable organizations affiliated with it. She lived her life with courage, determination and humility," said Former Oklahoma First Lady Cathy Keating, who cochaired the campaign with Judy. "She and her husband, Tom, were a united front in raising their remarkable family and growing their successful business. Judy's compassion for others knew no limits, and the impact of her kindness and generosity is immeasurable. I will miss her terribly."
Additionally, Judy served on many nonprofit boards in Oklahoma City and also cochaired the capital campaign for Positive Tomorrows, Oklahoma’s only school for children experiencing homelessness.
Judy was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2010. Among her many honors, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award and a Distinguished Woman Award from Oklahoma City University. The Girl Scouts named her a Woman of Distinction, and the Notre Dame Club named her the Woman of the Year for Oklahoma.