Judy Gallagher Durham, 74, of Shreveport, Louisiana, passed away on February 17, 2025 after a short illness. She was a prominent member of the City of Shreveport and Caddo Parish governments, becoming a trailblazer for women in government and one of the most influential public servants for the region.

Durham was born in Shreveport on March 11, 1950, to Shreveport City Attorney John Gallagher and nurse and artist Sylvia Smith Gallagher. She graduated from Byrd High School and attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) where she received her degree in economics. It was from there that she began a long career in public service in her home town of Shreveport.

Durham was preceded in death by her husband Hugh Clinton Durham, whom she married on February 14, 1992. She is survived by her children Amy Augustine Dittman and husband Jacob Dittman of Carrollton, Texas; Patrick Netherton of Shreveport; and two grandchildren, Hannah Dittman and Will Dittman.

Durham began her career in local government as a grant writer, eventually becoming the Executive Assistant to Shreveport Mayor John Hussey. In 1988, Hussey named her Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of the city, handling the day-to-day operations of the city and overseeing a $333 million budget. At 38, she was the youngest CAO in the state of Louisiana and the first woman in that position in Shreveport.

She would move into hospital administration in the Schumpert (now Christus) group, eventually becoming the Administrator of Huckabay Hospital in Coushatta, Louisiana. Following that role, she returned to government service for a final time in 1993 as the Administrator of Caddo Parish to lead the parish's 350 employees.

A visitation/celebration of life will be held Saturday February 22 from 3-6 pm at The Glass Hat Café at 422 Crockett Street in downtown Shreveport.

If you would like to make a contribution in her honor, the family requests you donate to the fight against Alzheimer's and dementia or to a charity of your choice.