Judith Reed
Judith Reed

Obituary of Judith Ann Reed

Judith Ann Reed~February 13, 1943-March 2, 2022 Judy Reed, went home, to be with the Lord, on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, surrounded by love with her husband, four daughters, son-in-law, and Pastor, at Viera Hospital, Viera, Florida. Judy was born on February 13,1943, to Owen and Grace (Alyea) Higgins in Janesville, WI. For the majority of her childhood she lived in Marshfield, WI. She graduated from Marshfield High School. While raising her children, Judy worked at Nestle Chocolate Factory, in Burlington, WI, as an Accountant. She earned her way to Controller, and relocated to Milledgeville, GA. While working at Nestle’ Foods, she earned her BS in Accounting at Alverno College, Milwaukee WI. Judy then decided to pursue her dreams in educating others. She earned a Master’s Degree in Business Education, at UW Whitewater. For a short time, she was a High School Accounting Teacher, in East Troy, WI, and soon pursued her teaching career as an Educator at Mohave Community College, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. In 1965, Judy and her former husband, Bill, became house parents for the Boys Ranch in Salt Lake City, Utah. While in Wisconsin, Judy was an active member of her church choir. She volunteered at The Agape House whose mission is to provide hope and healing for young women. She earned several leadership roles and honors, a few of those included being nominated for the Women of Excellence Award and a member of Pi Omega Pi, The National Business Teacher Honor Society. Judy enjoyed traveling, making crafts, cooking, watching sports, and playing various board and card games. Her favorites were, Apples to Apples and Yahtzee. Although careers and obligations separated families throughout the country, her greatest priority was to attend major events for any of her kids or grandkids. This was something she truly lived for. Her greatest loves were the people in her life: her family and friends. This included: her husband, the families of: her daughters, her step-children, her brothers, and all of her friends that she met throughout her life. She was loved and will be missed by so many that cannot begin to be mentioned here. She was called Nana by more than just her own grandchildren. She was a force of energy, full of love for life and everyone. She was nothing less than a hero for many of us. Someone to look up to and learn from. Judy is survived by her (beloved) incredible husband, Jean; her daughters: Jackie (Luke) Steffes, Johnalee Kawalec, Jenifer (Todd) Bickers, and Michelle Barnard. Her grandchildren: Caitlyn (Ben) Kiefer, Seth Kawalec, Jordan Murphey, Lauren (Bobby) Garrison, Meghan Bickers, Cole Bickers, Kyla Steffes, Savannah Barnard, and Breannah Barnard. Her great grandchildren: Claire, Lillian, and Grant Kiefer, and Adeline Garrison. The Jean Reed Family. The Theodore Carro Family. The Donald Kidder Family. The William Neidlein Family. Judy was preceded in death by her husbands: William Neidlein, Theodore Carro, and Donald Kidder; her parents: Grace and Owen Higgins; her siblings: Gordon Higgins and Gerald Higgins; her grandchildren: Collin Steffes, Travis Murphey, and Ella Garrison; her son-in-law: Ray Kawalec, and many extended family and friends she has been blessed with along the way. A memorial service will be held at Advent Lutheran Church in Melbourne, FL, on Saturday, March 19, 2022, at 1:00. A celebration of her life will follow with the location to be determined. An additional Celebration of Life will be held in her memory, this summer, in Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation, either online https://www.helpfightra.org, or The Rheumatoid Arthritis Foundation 8815 Conroy Windermere Rd. Suite 309 Orlando, FL 32835.
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Memorial Service

2022-03-19 13:00:00 Advent Lutheran Church (Melbourne, FL) FL
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