Judy A. Dempsey

Gardner, grandma, good friend, gracious, all words that describe Judy Anne (Sliter) Dempsey who passed away on August 23,2010 from ovarian cancer.

Judy was born on August 26, 1937 to Colonel Elmer Holt and Hazel A (Osborne) Sliter of Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. As a gardener, Judy's love of gardens and gardening began with her mother's own gardens. As she traveled much of the country with her parents, during her father's vibrant military career, Judy enjoyed creating many new gardens at each new home with her mother. Several of her mother's hostas are in her own garden today. Her father's career blessed Judy with the ability to see much of the United States, and Judy enjoyed traveling with her own family. Judy graduated from Grosse Pointe High School in 1955. Judy received an associates degree from Colorado Women's College in 1957. After college, Judy met an Hal while attending the United States Air Force Bomb Navigation School at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado, who just happened to catch her eye. Judy married her sweetheart, Harold Boyd Dempsey, in January 28, 1961, and soon their own family began to grow. Robin Lynn was born in Seattle, Washington, July 18, 1963, and Scott Boyd was born in Florence, South Carolina, April 23, 1968. Their travels with Hal's work took them many places in the U.S. and Canada and created fond memories for the both of them of people and places. Their favorite vacation spot was Myrtle Beach, South Carolina where they would gather with extended family to enjoy time together, cultivating memories by the ocean.

As a certified master gardener thru Purdue University, neither Judy, nor Hal, “ever met a stranger.” Judy shared the class with many; however, with Teresa Lechlitner, a unique relationship bloomed into a special bond, for not only these 2 women but their husbands as well, Hal and Don respectively. The love these women have for their gardens and each other has special rhythm and balance to it, just like their gardens and perhaps has blessed Judy with the sweetness of sisterhood that she lacked being an only child. Judy's gardens are extensive and a site to behold. They are the most beautiful places to look at, study, smell, and relax. Some of Judy's gardens are landscaped, and some are unstructured, flowing naturally from one element to the next. Judy tended her friendships which were rich, fertile and thriving to the observer; she attended to those friendships like she tended to her flowers, observant, taking special care to give them the attention they needed. As a mother, Judy infused a sense of humor, responding to the needs of others, and a love for the outdoors into both Robin and Scott. As a grandmother, Judy noticed the little things about Holt (Robin's son), Abby and Michael (Scott's children) and would talk to each grandchild about those details in their lives. She was ever observant of their personalities, concerned about their well-being, and loved watching the times when all three grandchildren ran chasing each other in Hal and Judy's backyard. As a wife, Judy's relationship with Hal is every bit as beautiful as her gardens, well tended, colorful, full of life.

Judy was a breast cancer survivor for 11 years and an ovarian cancer fighter for the past 20 months. She and Hal developed an amazing relationship with all her care providers at the office of Dr. William Kamanda and Elkhart General Hospital Oncology unit from all the years they touched each others' lives. Judy has been an inspiration to all who have met her. Even when she felt her worse in the hospital her gracious nature nurtured those around her, and she regularly encouraged them as they tended to Judy's physical needs. Nurses that have taken care of her over the years came from all over the hospital to see Judy at the end of their shifts to get their “Judy fix” whenever Judy was a patient on in the hospital. Judy's oncology nurses perhaps describe their marriage best by their observations over those 11 years, a strong marriage, full of love and humor, something all of them strive to have in their own lives.

Preceding Judy in death are her parents, Elmer and Hazel and their beloved daughter, Robin. She leaves behind Hal, her loving husband of 49 years, her son Scott and his wife Kathy, and her grandchildren, Holt Brackman Katker (son of Robin), Abby Lee, and Michael Grant Dempsey (children of Scott). Judy, the master gardener, wife, mother, cousin, aunt, grandmother, and friend, will be missed by all she has “tended,” but she has left us with a few life lessons to be remembered. Friendships, like flowers, left untended do not thrive. Relationships, like gardens, become weedy and overgrown if no investment of time is given. Beauty in life, like a single bud, can be overlooked if not searched out. May we honor what she taught us by living those truths out in our own lives. The master gardener has put away her gardening tools, left us to watch over that which she has so lovingly tended in both people and plant and now takes her place in the Master's Garden.

Visitation will be on Thursday from 2-4 & 6-8 pm at Stemm Lawson Peterson Funeral Home, Elkhart. Funeral services will be at 10 am Friday at First Presbyterian Church, Elkhart. Reverend Stephen Braden will officiate. Burial will follow at Violett Cemetery, Goshen.

Memorials may be made online to the Susan G. Komen Foundation or the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. Visit www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com to sign an online guestbook.