2021 Tama County Judy Morrison

Judy was not a 4-H member herself, although 4-H is in her blood. Her father’s aunt, Olive Lyons, was the teacher at the country school near Clarion where the 4-H emblem was born. Judy’s father was a club leader for many years. All three of her older siblings were in 4-H, and her oldest brother was a county youth coordinator for a few years after graduating from ISU. Because her family moved to town when she was young, she did not join 4-H. 

While attending ISU, Judy met her future husband, Bruce Morrison. He brought her home to live on his family’s Century Farm in Tama County, where he’d grown up and been a 4-H member. It was only natural that their oldest child joined 4-H in 1991. When they became co-leaders of the Buckingham Boosters in 1997, it made Bruce a third-generation 4-H leader. Around 2000, Judy created digitized record book forms. She also gave club members picture CDs of the club activities each year. Their three children were active at the club, county, and state level. All had several state fair exhibits, and their daughter placed in the top 10% in Fashion Review. The lessons learned by giving multiple 4-H presentations at all three levels impacted them as they each earned at least one All-State medal from the Iowa High School Speech Association. When their youngest son graduated in 2006, Judy and Bruce retired as leaders. \

Judy dedicated her career to working with youth as a high school teacher for forty years at North Tama. Believing in supporting students, Judy and Bruce have attended everything from academic, speech, and music activities to athletic events year-round. They have even volunteered at after-prom for over twenty years, including fifteen years after their youngest child graduated!  When Judy retired, the school awarded them a lifetime pass to all North Tama home activities in recognition of their support. Currently, she is secretary of the Traer Lions Club and on her church mission committee.      

Judy served on the Tama County Extension Council from 1983-86. After a break, she was re-elected to the Council in 2002 and has continued to present day. She has served in various offices and as the chairwoman since 2011. For ten years, Judy volunteered to serve on the Youth Advisory Council. Her committee assignments have included budget and personnel. For the Tama County Extension Centennial celebration, she researched and created multiple display boards showing the county’s Extension history and all of its Extension employees. She shared these boards at the Tama County Farm Bureau Centennial as well. During her long tenure serving on the Council, Judy feels privileged to have worked with so many great people.