Judy has been involved in church music ministry since a teenager. In high school, she played the piano and organ on Sunday evenings and sang in the choir at First Baptist Church in Alexandria, KY. While dating Roger Ihrig (a barber and future husband) she began attending activities at First Baptist Church of Highland Heights and after they married on June 25, 1965, she became a member and served in many capacities like Sunday School, WMU, and music. After attending college for a while she put her education on hold to begin a family and serve the church as organist, pianist and eventually choir director while still a teenager. On the evening of May 31, 1967, she decided not to attend services and play the organ – good idea! She went into labor and Todd Alan Ihrig was born the next morning – June 1, 1967. A few years later (1970) after preparing for the Christmas Cantata she was actually able to direct the choir and then give birth to Craig Phillip Ihrig on January 5, 1971. Continuing to serve in the music ministry as the church building was taken to make way for I-275 , she was there for the new building and purchasing new choir robes, organ and eventually the piano that is still in use today in the sanctuary. During the 70’s, Roger was ordained as a deacon and the boys were saved and baptized. Judy decided in the late 70’s to go back to school and complete her degree in Elementary Education and began her studies at Northern KY University. Well, just as she was about to finish a semester and then begin student teaching she had a huge surprise! Judy and Roger in the fall of 1980, announced that they were having another baby. On July 9, 1981, Russell Dale Ihrig was born, (another boy) so Judy again put her education on hold. However, in January, 1984, Judy accepted a call to be the Minister of Music at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church where she and Roger served until 2006. After going to PRBC, she went back to NKU and received her degree in 1986 and began teaching in the Campbell County Schools until her retirement in 2008. After retiring from the PRBC position, in 2006, Roger and Judy joined Christ Baptist Church in Cold Spring and became involved in Sunday School and many ministries of the church. Judy enjoyed singing in the choir and eventually playing piano and organ and assisting with children’s choir and adult choir. Since they both were retired, they volunteered at Ivy Knoll and the Baptist Live Communities’ Senior living facilities. After 13 years at CBC, in the Fall of 2019, Judy and Roger felt a tug to “come back home” to FBC of Highland Heights for Judy to serve as interim Minister of Music and eventually joining the church and being elected as Minister of Music in January, 2020.
