AN
AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Judith Eaddy Hanna attended Estill High School in Estill, South Carolina where she was involved in many activities. During her senior year, she was Editor of the school newspaper, President of Junior Homemakers of America, and a member of the chorus. She also played basketball and the drums in the band. She was soloist at her graduation ceremonies.
After graduation from Estill High School, she attended Furman University studying voice under Dupre Rhame. She was employed at WCSC-TV in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early days of television, in 1953. As well as performing her secretarial duties to the Vice President of Television, she conducted tours of the station, and sang on the air with the regular Friday night band from the television station.
She married Ronnie Daniel Richards from Hampton, South Carolina and moved to Florida where he was involved in the early days of space exploration. There were four children born to Judy and Danny. They were Sharon Patricia Richards, Russell Daniel Richards, Thomas Glenn Richards, and Amy Elizabeth Richards.
Judy owned and operated florists shops in the Cape Kennedy area of Satellite Beach, and Melbourne, Florida. Successful in her Florist shops she branched out to real estate investments, land development, and other commercial real estate interests. She owned several child care centers.
During her career as a florist she participated in many design schools and performed her music on the stage at National Conventions of Seroptomist, FTD, and Rotary International. She performed solo benefits for Florida Institute of Technology, the Building Fund for the United Methodist Church, Satellite Beach, Civilian Military Club, and performed in the yearly Brevard Hospital Follies. During the Ford Administration she was on a team of florists which decorated the White House in Washington, D. C. Her years were filled with many performances of her own songs, and accompanying herself on the guitar, she helped many fund raising efforts in the community.
She was soloist in the Brevard County's annual performances of Handel's Messiah and was active in the First Baptist Church of Melbourne and choir of the First Baptist Church of Eau Gallie. At the request of the pastor of the new Peace Lutheran Church, she lent her talent of music to the new congregation. There she performed solos and led the singing every Sunday, until the choir was formed. When she first came to Florida in 1954, her neighbor was the new pastor of the Palmdale Presbyterian Church. She participated in the formation of the choir in this church as well, going back for the Anniversary services as guest soloist. She served in the Nursing Home Services, for a short period of time, sponsored by the Baptist Church, on Sunday mornings.
Lawtonville Baptist Church in Estill, South Carolina was her home church, and after she married and moved to Florida, she was asked to come back and sing at the celebration of their 200th year. This historical old church celebrated their Bi-Centennial about a year before the United States of America.
She was lucky in 1958, to be picked from the audience to be on the Price Is Right Show in New York City. She won $5,800 worth of merchandise, including a Rambler Station Wagon, and a baby grand piano, silver tea service, 100 RCA records, and a year's supply of Pizza Pie Mix.
After writing many songs, she recorded in Nashville, at the Chuck Glaser Studios. The two songs were played on the air, particularly around the military bases in the United Sates. One of the songs was a Jimmy Carter song, LOVE AMONG THE PEOPLE.
With her love of people and a natural talent for music, which runs all through her family, she has given of herself and talents to many worthwhile causes. She was sure, that probably, on the day that she was born, the baby grand and the upright pianos at the old country home in Gifford were playing. The two older sisters, her brother, who played the trumpet, and her two younger sisters, were talented on the piano and were singing or playing most of the time.
In reviewing the older generations of the Eaddy and Hanna family history, she probably came by this musical and writing ability quite naturally. Many Eaddy ancestors were multi-talented persons. Henry Eddison Eaddy, the “Sage Of Possum Fork”, was the father of her Grandmother, Nettie Adell (Eaddy) Hanna. His creativity, writing ability, and service to the community, was a blessing. We can only hope that many of the other descendants of this great family will endeavor to emulate their ancestors in their contributions of service to others. It is also encouraging to see the lives of our relatives and how they struggled with many hardships to build their communities and contribute to the forming of our country, while serving their God and attending their Houses of Worship.
