She graduated from the Columbia Institute of Chiropractic in New York in 1964, where she met her late husband, Dr. Bruce Ehlich. At the time, she was one of only two women enrolled at the college. Since Dr. Bruce courted both, their children joke about their dad dating “all the women” at the college, but their mother, Dr. Judy, was the one for him. They got married after graduating and started their life and chiropractic journey together. This was the beginning of a great love story that profoundly affected the progress of chiropractic.
At the time the Ehliches married, the esteemed chiropractor Dr. Lyle Sherman was already established in the Spartanburg area. He and Dr. Thom Gelardi encouraged Drs. Judy and Bruce Ehlich to consider practicing in Chesnee, a nearby rural area in need of chiropractors. She and her husband established the Ehlich Chiropractic Clinic in Chesnee. As years passed, their practice and family grew. Dr. Gelardi - who was also influenced to move to SC because of Dr. Sherman - had an idea to start a school devoted to teaching the philosophy, science and art of chiropractic. Showing support for their friends Drs. Thom and Betty Gelardi, Dr. Judy and her husband were important supporters in establishing Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic in 1973. They were both heavily involved in referring students to the first classes and those in the many years to follow, as well as teaching and donating to the college.
Dr. Judy was instrumental in the early days of Sherman College. Along with teaching, she was the first Dean of Women Students. She was politically active in the Palmetto State and was the first woman to serve on the SC Board of Chiropractic Examiners. She was also a member of several associations throughout her career, including the International Chiropractors Association, where she was named a Distinguished Fellow, the South Carolina Chiropractic Association, where she was inducted into the SCCA Hall of Fame, and the Palmetto State Chiropractic Association. On both the state and national levels, her and Dr. Bruce’s efforts influenced legislation to promote chiropractic in South Carolina and benefitted Sherman College. Over the years their practice grew in high volume, serving thousands from Chesnee, Spartanburg, Spindale, and Gaffney; they practiced together until Dr. Bruce's passing in 1999. After that, she continued to practice until retiring on her 80th birthday in September 2022.
One of her most remarkable achievements was giving birth to their children, who all went on to attend Sherman College. Five of their children, two of their spouses, and one grandchild are graduates of the college. Three of their five children still practice chiropractic: Kim and her husband Craig have been practicing in Gaffney for 36 years, Chris and his wife Beth (who currently teaches at Sherman) have been practicing in Greer for 34 years, and Tan was in Simpsonville before joining his mother in Chesnee after his father passed away 24 years ago.
Dr. Judy and her husband were some of the first Sherman donors and she continued to donate and support Sherman and chiropractic throughout her life. Her daughter-in-law Dr. Beth Ehlich said, "She was a special person. She loved chiropractic; it was her calling. It was her essence. The loves of life were Jesus, her Bruce, her children (and grand/great-grandchildren), and her beloved profession chiropractic. She can be described in one word: LOVE. She loved everyone she met and they loved her too! Chiropractic is what she was meant to do, her calling. She strived every day to be a chiropractor to help people. Every waking moment was about how she could help. Even until her last days, she never lost that.”
While losing her at Christmas is especially difficult for all who loved her, it only seems fitting that she passed away during the Christmas season, her favorite time of the year according to her family. Sherman College and the chiropractic community will always appreciate Dr. Judy's commitment to promote, preserve and protect her beloved profession of chiropractic.
