Judson Allen Jr.

Judson Allen Jr., age 90, of Reynolds, Georgia, passed away on Tuesday, August 19th, 2025.

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at Montezuma Methodist Church. The family will receive friends at the church from 10:00 to 11:00 AM. A private burial will be held following the service. Pastor Jonathan Beckum will be officiating the service.

After 90 years of bluffing, betting big, and never folding on his family, Judson Taylor Allen, Jr. of Montezuma, GA finally threw in the cards robbing local authorities of the chance to nab a legend. Judson, known to family as Big Judd, was born in Savannah, GA on January 6th, 1935 to Jeanette Lamb Allen and Judson Taylor Allen, Sr. At a young age, Judson moved with his father to Montezuma, calculating it to be the biggest town in South Georgia lacking a jewelry store, the family was soon to follow.

In high school, he was a member of the Montezuma Aztec basketball team and teasingly claims holding the record for being the quickest to foul out during a game. After high school, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology where he was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and graduated with a Bachelors in Industrial Engineering. After college, he settled back to Montezuma marrying Charlotte Deane Furches Fox of Ooltewah, TN with whom he had his 3 children. Following their divorce, Judson and Deane remained lifelong friends and close family, providing an enduring example for divorced and blended families to model.

In professional life, Judson worked with the Army Corp of Engineer and was especially proud of his work charting Lake Blackshear. Later, he worked at the family business, Allen’s Jewelry, purchasing it from his parents at their retirement. Throughout his life he bought and sold land and farmed pine trees. He was a lifelong member of Kiwanis and the Grand Lodge of Georgia, and he served several terms on the Board of Elections for Macon County.

Judson was an avid sportsman with a particular love of hunting and all things outdoors. He loved his farm, which served as the gathering place for family events and parties, and he was continuously tinkering with projects and improvements. He loved a good poker game and was a founding member of the bygone Montezuma Deer Supper.

In 1986, Judson drew Aces once more when he met his wife, Clara, who loved and cared for him and his family for almost 40 years, their relationship exemplifying the very best of step-parent bonds.

Judson is proceeded in death by his parents, his son Judson “Jud” Taylor Allen III, and his son-in-law Steve Stephens (Loren). Among those who carry his memory onward are: his wife Clara; daughters Loren Brown (Howard) and Rachel Rutledge (Chris); a daughter-in-law Nancy Allen (Jud); his grandchildren Tripp Stephens (Michaela), Taylor Stephens (Mitchell), Jessie Pearce (Michael), JT Allen (Aislyn), Owen Rutledge, and Sam Rutledge; his great-grandchildren Claudia Spradley (Eli), Heidi Pearce, Ford Stephens, Livi Pearce, Juddy Allen, Laithen Allen, Morgan Stephens and Jack Allen Stephens (due in October); a great-great-granddaughter Oakley Forbes; his sisters Ann Fear and Jean McCosh; several step-children and step-grandchildren; and multiple nieces and nephews. He is survived not only by his own family, but also by his bonus family through his wife, Clara, whom he loved as his own and with whom he shared 40 treasured years.