Judy Boone - PRESIDENT - BROKER
Since 1978, Realtor, Judy Boone has been a dynamic real estate industry leader and dedicated community activist. In 1989, she opened her impressive Ocean View firm, Judy Boone Realty, which her contractor husband and Realtor, Ronnie Boone, built for her in a neighborhood of decline. Her spark of influence sent a message: “OUR SAND IS GOLD!” and the local pride was matched with Norfolk's City Revitalization efforts and a renaissance wave of change is seen across the coastal Norfolk community today.
Judy, a parishioner of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, thrives on volunteerism and incorporates it into her successful business. She is a board member of St Jude Children’s Research Hospital of Southeastern Virginia, Heritage Bank, Norfolk Convention and Visitors Bureau Foundation, Taylor Hospital, and a member of the Ocean View Business Association. In 2009, Judy helped organize a mass food drive at the Ocean View Beach Park for local church food pantries who were distribution satellites of Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia. Northside Middle School adopted Judy as their Future Leader of America role model and collected food to donate to their neighbors in need after a Nor’easter. Judy was instrumental in bringing Pre-k classrooms to Oceanair Elementary in 1994 and earned a Lifetime PTA award for her active mentorship role in schools. She encourages children to be involved in fund raising for their schools and neighborhood sports teams at her beautiful and busy office location. She has them bring buckets, pails, rags and homemade signs, “WE WORK TO PLAY!” Judy flashes the Kids Car Wash or Helmet Drive Yard Sale or Bake Sale on her community message board and promotes their causes on Facebook. Judy’s legendary love for children is evidenced by Judy Boone Realty’s twenty plus years of clients, customers, friends and business associates, through her annual Jingle Bell toy drive raising hundreds of toys for underprivileged children.
Her decades of sponsorship support for the Knight’s of Columbus’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade has and will always be a special event for Judy, her family and firm to celebrate, because it falls near her mid-March birthday and it is a fun way for them to help the Ocean View Knights of Columbus raise money to sponsor mentally challenged children. As a matter of fact, the Ocean View, event has grown to be one of the largest parades on the East Coast with the culmination of bands, bag pipes and floats representing organizations, schools and children’s causes of every kind.
In 2000, philanthropic Peter Decker, Jr., founder of the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's Southeastern Virginia Board, appointed Judy as Hampton Roads St Jude Dream Home chair when she volunteered to help him launch the program. Her husband, Ronnie Boone, built the first and fifth St Jude Dream Homes in Ocean View. Together, the couple has helped to raise millions to save lives of sick children.
In 2005, the Boones were honored by the Hampton Roads Magazine in their "A-List of 50 Very Important People shaping the lives in Hampton Roads." Among her many accomplishments, Judy Boone received the 2006 "Lifetime Achievement" Award from The Hampton Roads Realtor Association for "changing the face of the community." In 2006, The Virginia Chamber of Commerce presented Judy Boone Realty with the State's "Fantastic 50" Award for entrepreneurial spirit and growth in a time of economic slowdown. Judy’s success story while fighting liver failure was shared in The Hampton Roads Business Journal INSIDE BUSINESS with their 2006 Women in Business Achievement Awards highlighting her family’s desire to purchase and rebuild the local fishing pier lost to a hurricane. Ocean View Fishing Pier stands as a marveled model, 1690 feet over the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk and is the longest and strongest free standing pier in North America.
From 2006-2007, writer, Harry Minium, of the Virginian Pilot personally covered Judy’s near death liver disease experience, her miraculous June 9th, 2009 transplant triumph performed at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and her progress returning back to work. “Norfolk’s Best” and “Best of the Best” kudos and well wishes continue to roll in for Judy and her highly acclaimed Realtor firm. But Judy will tell you, her priceless "second gift of life" will always be her greatest accomplishment. Her faith in God and the grace of a pre-adolescent child angel donor who brings her back to good health to continue her good works for children and their families, while enjoying the blessings of watching her own grandchildren grow. Take it from Judy Boone - “Life is Grand!”
