Judy Tyler

Birth Name:

Judith Mae Hess

Birth Date:

October 9, 1932

Birth Place:

Manhattan, New York

Death Date:

July 3, 1957

Place of Death:

On US Route 287 near Rock River, Wyoming

Age:

Cause of Death:

Car accident

Cemetery Name:

Ferncliff Cemetery

Claim to Fame:

Show Business

Judy Tyler was an American actress and began acting as a teenager on Howdy Doody. She later landed a starring role in the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Pipe Dream. Life did a story on rising Broadway talent with Tyler on the magazine's cover as one of the up-and-coming stars. Once in Hollywood, Tyler appeared in the film Bop Girl Goes Calypso (1957), then starred opposite Elvis Presley as his love interest in Jailhouse Rock (1957). After completing filming of the Presley movie, she and her second husband, Gregory Lafayette, left Hollywood to return to their home in New York. While driving through Wyoming, they were involved in an automobile accident on U.S. Route 287 near Rock River. She was killed instantly, age 24, and her husband, died the following day, also age 24.

About the accident …

Miss Tyler and her husband Hopewell Junction, New York were married March 17 in Miami, Florida. The young couple had been living at 158 West 44th Street in New York city.

The Lafayettes were motoring east from Hollywood when Mr. Lafayette apparently swung into the lane of oncoming traffic to avoid hitting a car which was pulling onto U.S. Highway 30 from Wild Bill’s curio store and Petting Zoo. The Layfayettes car was broadsided in the westbound lane into a car occupied by Donald J. Jones (23) and driver Paul L. Reed (32) of Hanna, Wyoming. Donald was killed instantly and Paul recovered from his injuries. Her husband, Greg, died the next day at Ivinson Hospital in Laramie of a broken back. Unfortunately a dog (poodle) and cat in the Lafayette’s car also were killed.

Due to the force of the collision, Judy Tyler’s body was severed and died instantly.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Ferncliff Cemetery

280 Secor Road

Hartsdale, New York, 10530

USA

North America

Map:

Grave Location:

Ferncliff Mausoleum, Unit 8, Private Memorial Room B1

Grave Location Description

After entering the entrance between St. Andrew and St. Peter, take the first left then turn right to head northeast towards the Ferncliff Mausoleum. Park in the parking lot and go through the building’s main entrance. Once inside the building, go left and exit Unit 1 to enter Unit 2. Then turn left again to exit Unit 2 and enter Unit 8. Judy Tyler’s grave will be located on your left along the wall on the main floor.