Jude

In memory of my mother, an impossibly strong woman who passed away January 30, 2020 at the age of 68. She loved to paint, so I gave this dragon piebald and paint to match several of her wardrobe options. She especially loved to paint rooms in the different shades of green, and you always started with a white primer. Hence why these colors are perfect in the memory of her. The koi creates even more paint like splotches, but the bright feminine colors are perfect for her sunny smile and her love of all colors.

She grew up in Arizona, where her father was a Professor at a University and her mother served in many roles for the local churches. She grew up swimming, camping, and boating in the desert southwest and attended church camp, both as a camper and a counselor. With her family, she visited her paternal grandparents each summer.
Judy earned a B.S. degree in home economics with an emphasis in family and child development in 1974. One summer, Judy and a friend drove from Arizona to Alaska and then she continued on to Hawaii for an adventure on her own. She taught Head Start several years and earned her M.Ed. in deaf education.
Judy married my father on March 19, 1982 and lived in the family home in Arizona. Three children were born-my siblings-and Judy taught in the area schools. A short move later was followed by another, where she gave birth to me.
Widowed in 1990, Judy moved again where she raised her four children on her own and built a respected career as a teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing. She taught in the public schools of Arizona, including the State School for the Deaf and Blind. She was a compassionate and strong advocate for her students' success and mentored other young professionals to become teachers of the deaf. Her students remembered her as one who made learning fun, inspired them to strive, and developed their "puzzle-thinking" skills. After nearly thirty years of teaching, she retired and moved to Wisconsin to be near when her parents needed help.
Judy had the biggest heart and spent a lifetime giving it freely to everyone she knew. Shy in a group, she loved getting together to talk with family or a good friend. She was sentimental about the people and events of every stage of her life, and she had a sharp memory for them. She also had an uncanny ability to multiply large numbers in only seconds, did beautiful embroidery work, and made the greatest Mexican food. Everyone knew her soft spot for animals, which resulted in a lifetime of beloved dogs, cats, and the occasional bird or lizard.
Judy endured significant losses and hardships in her life, but she always showed up for the ones she loved. She listened with genuine interest, was ready with a happy laugh, and supported unconditionally. "Our phone calls were rarely quick, our hugs were never short, and our laughter could go on and on."