Travel
Co-founder of popular travel stop chain dead at 87
Judy Love, co-founder of Love’s Travel Stops, died in Oklahoma City on Tuesday. She was 87.
The company announced her death in a press release this week.
“Our mother, Judy Love, was the heart and soul of our family,” her family said in the release.
“She cared deeply for us and those who worked alongside her and Dad. Her tenacity, strength, and focus will guide us forever.”
“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.”
Love co-founded the travel stop chain in 1954 with her late husband, Tom. The couple started the business with a $5,000 loan and it has since transformed into a nationally recognized brand worth nearly $10 billion, according to previous Forbes reports.
“Judy’s financial acumen and dedication to the company’s growth saw her serve as secretary and treasurer as it expanded into 42 states,” the release reads.
“Her warm spirit, generosity, and commitment to community service earned her widespread admiration.”
In 1999, she established the Love Family Affiliated Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. She also established 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.
She was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2010.
“Judy Love was an extraordinary woman with a huge heart for others and an inexhaustible joy of life,” said Oklahoma public official Jayroe-Gamble.
“Her passion for family, friends, community, and the Catholic Church inspired many. 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.”
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