Donna P. Judd McClure

Dr. Donna P. Judd-McClure, age 84, walked freely into the arms of Christ Our Lord on April 30, 2023.  She was preceded in death by her husband William “Bill” McClure, her parents Donald and Sarah (Denney) Judd, her brother Harlan “Hank” Judd, and her very dear friends Dr. George and Andrea Sawaya.  She is survived by her "adopted" family: Teresa (Sawaya) Golamb-Hartzell (Richard), Renee (Sawaya) Coogan (Joseph), Stephanie (Sawaya) Calpin (Christopher), Michael Sawaya, and many great-nieces and nephews.

She graduated from Julienne High School, the University of Dayton, and then briefly entered the Convent as an early vocation until she discovered her true calling of serving others through the field of Pychology.  It was during this time that she completed her Masters of Arts degree at Xavier University in 1968.  Dr. Donna Judd-McClure’s career as a Psychologist in Ohio began when she matriculated to the Florida Institute of Technology and received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Psychology in 1972.  She returned to Ohio to complete her post-doctoral internship with the Children’s Services Board in Dayton, and was subsequently licensed as a Psychologist in 1973 by the State of Ohio Board of Psychology. 

While completing her post-doctoral work, a passion for helping children and families achieve optimal mental health went from a spark to a flame.  She served as a Staff Psychologist for Montgomery County Children Services; Children’s Medical Center; Sims Satellite Center in Dayton, Ohio; and The Family Therapy Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Dr. Donna’s career over the next thirty-five years was filled with rewarding counseling, consulting, leadership and academic opportunities, namely serving in Adjunct Faculty positions at Sinclair Community College, Wright State University Professional School of Psychology, and Xavier University, all in Ohio. 

Donna’s fund of knowledge in psychology along with her immense clinical abilities were frequently tapped for consultation by numerous businesses, Hamilton County Courts and agencies from law firms to nursery schools and medical centers.  She had a firm grasp of the impact of her profession in the treatment process and believed firmly that psychologists should be leading the way in championing human betterment be it through clinical practice, research, teaching, consulting, state and federal legislation, or in the Faith community. 

Throughout her career, Donna held memberships in the American Psychological Association, Ohio Psychological Association, Clinical Academy of Professional Psychology, Cincinnati Psychological Association, and Philadelphia Child Guidance Alumni Association.   At her retirement in 2002, Donna was the Clinical Psychology Supervisor for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction at Franklin PreRelease Center in Columbus, Ohio.  She would say, “this is perhaps the most rewarding of all my career work because helping incarcerated women turn their lives around to be productive citizens is one thing, yet, to see them develop psychological awareness of their role in the lives of their family and children is central to reducing recidivism”.  Under her leadership, the Mental Health Department at Franklin PreRelease was prolific in the development & delivery of skill-based, outcome-driven psycho-educational trainings for the female inmates.  Staff at this prison gained a deeper appreciation for the role of psychology, and its interface with correctional practices aimed at authentic rehabilitation. 

Donna's life was dedicated to her professional career.   After she had formally retired from psychology practice, her vigor to stay active in her pursuit of raising people up from where they were never ceased.  Just as she authored many academic and clinical articles throughout her career, she continued to author articles as a resident of Dublin Retirement Village (DRV) in Dublin, Ohio.  Even at age 80, Donna volunteered to provide mental wellness groups and wrote a regular column for the DRV newsletter.  For her 80th birthday celebration, she received Letters of Commendation from the Ohio Psychological Association, and the Office of Governor John R. Kasich.  Donna’s professional career yielded much fruit, which will remain in the earth through many people's lives.  She lives forever in many hearts, especially those of her close friends/colleagues Dr. Deveonne (Cooke) Brackman, Dr. David Brackman, Judy Biedenharn, and Mary Jane Kunkle.

In her later years, she was very active in her living communities, and loved by many in her time at both The Bristol and The Inn at Library Way. 

Family and Friends are invited to gather for a Celebration of Life Service being held on Wednesday, May 10^th, 2023.  Public visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 11:00a.m. at St. Brigid of Kildare Church, 7179 Avery Road, Dublin, OH 43017. A private Inurnment will be held at Resurrection Cemetery in Lewis Center, OH. 

Her “adopted” family would like to thank BMT/BMT Group for their loving care of her fur babies, Abby and Bella.  And they are especially grateful to Hospice 360 for their loving care of Donna in her final days.  In Lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the ASPCA, Cozy Cat Cottage in Powell, or the National Alliance of Mental Illness of Franklin County (NAMI Franklin County).  These are the organizations that Donna supported throughout her life.  Let’s help Donna’s Legacy of Service to continue and be a blessing to the community.

The Tidd Funeral Home, Dublin-Plain City Chapel, 9720 SR 161, Plain City, OH 43064 (614)-733-0080, assisted the family. Please visit www.tiddfuneralhomes.com to share your favorite memories and to send your condolences to the family.