Judith Ann (Lookingbill) Bollinger was born on October 1, 1961, in Elk City, Oklahoma, to Robert "Jack" Lookingbill, Sr. and Judith "Jay" (Van Orsdol) Lookingbill. After a tough battle with advanced endometrial cancer, which she beat once, Judith passed peacefully from this life on February 5, 2023, at the University of Oklahoma Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

Judith grew up in Carter, Oklahoma, and graduated from Carter High School in 1979. After high school, she went on to attend Sayre Junior College and then Southwestern Oklahoma State University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in English and Art Education. After college, Judith began her teaching career at Carter Public Schools. She then taught junior high language arts at Sayre Public Schools until she began teaching at Merritt Public Schools in August 1989. During this time, she also began work on her Master's degree, commuting to Weatherford for night classes. Judith taught high school English, Spanish, literature, and eighth grade art at Merritt until she retired from teaching in 2017 after over thirty years in the classroom.

Judith was a devoted teacher and loved her students like they were her own. She was known for getting to know her students outside the classroom—learning about their struggles and goals and going the extra mile to support and push them to their full potential, even long after they had graduated. When not in the classroom, you could find Judith coaching the Merritt academic team at a competition across the state. She was fiercely competitive, earned multiple conference "coach of the year" titles, and led the academic team to a state title. She was also a lover of high school basketball. For many years, she was a fixture at the scorekeeper's table, where she kept clock for thousands of basketball games and cheered on the Merritt Oilers and other Western Oklahoma teams.

After retiring from teaching, Judith continued her service to children, joining CASA of Western Oklahoma as Advocate Coordinator. Judith was lucky to have found a second professional passion after a full career with her first. At CASA, Judith worked tirelessly with deprived children and their families, ensuring that the children were safe and cared for, and in the best circumstances, helping guide the parents toward family reunification. She also helped train numerous CASA volunteers who continue this important work today and will do so into the future. Judith ended her professional career working with her son, Jason, in his law office.

Judith's contagious smile, laughter, and joy for life and the simple things many of us take for granted was noticed and admired by all. She had an adventurous spirit and loved traveling the world, trying new cuisines, and learning about and experiencing new cultures. She was never afraid and was always up for trying most anything at least once.

She loved her friends and family fiercely. Her children, Jason and Jacy, were the center of her world, and in her view, her greatest accomplishment. She was a beautiful soul, serving as teacher, advocate, confidante, protector, steadfast supporter, wise counselor, friend, mother, and partner. She was so much to so many, and her impact on the lives of all she encountered is truly immeasurable.

Judith was strong in her faith and attributed her strength and peace throughout her battle with cancer to God's love and support.

Judith is preceded in death by her mother, father, grandparents, and several close friends and relatives. She is survived by her son, Jason Bollinger, and partner, Trey Shropshire, of Oklahoma City; daughter, Jacy Maddox, and husband, Dallon, of Cordell; grandchildren, Demi and Daxxon Maddox of Cordell; her partner, Paul, of Bristow; brother, Robert Lookingbill, and wife, Gina, of Mangum; and brother, John Lookingbill, and wife, Sherry, of Altus; along with a host of other relatives, friends, and her "kids"—all her many students and "CASA kids" whom she considered her own.

It will come as a surprise to no one who knew her that even after passing from this life, Judith continues her purpose of teaching and serving others. She elected to donate her body to science, where it will be studied by medical students, used for research, and hopefully, used toward finding cures for diseases like the one from which she suffered.

Services celebrating Judith's life will be held at 3:00 pm on Friday, February 17, 2023, at the Van Orsdol Family Cemetery, 26671 S. 321st West Ave, Bristow, OK 74010, and at 12:00 noon on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at the United Methodist Church of Elk City, 720 W. Country Club Blvd, Elk City, OK 73644.

In lieu of flowers, Judith's family respectfully requests donations to either of the following in her name:

Judith Bollinger Memorial Scholarship Fund

1207 N. Illinois St

Weatherford, OK 73096

CASA of Western Oklahoma

P.O. Box 485

Weatherford, OK 73096