Judy was born in Sleepy Eye on the Fourth of July 1940 to Sylvester and Alyce (Soukup) Krzmarzick. She grew up on the family farm, the youngest of five till two brothers came along years later. She was affectionately called “Doogan” by family and friends. Judy was handicapped from birth. She had difficulty walking and was partially deaf and non-verbal. Her life was a struggle in that way. At the same time, she was warm and loving with bountiful sense of humor. As such, she illustrated the power of the human spirit to overcome and the power of love. She taught lessons to those around her who were paying attention.

Judy briefly attended the Minnesota School for the Deaf in Faribault. As a young adult, she moved to the Cambridge State Hospital. In 1972, she moved to the Minnesota Valley Social Adaptation Center in St. Peter. And in 1979, Judy moved to Ridgewood, a new group home in Worthington. She lived in Ridgewood for 31 years, the last of the original residents there. Her moves reflected a welcome shift from institutions to communal living for the disabled. Throughout Judy’s life she interacted with a number of caregivers. The great majority were kind and generous, and Judy’s family is eternally grateful to them. The people who work caring for the young, the old, and the disabled deserve recognition. They can never be fully appreciated and are underpaid for the care they give and the lives they touch.

Judy is survived by her siblings Marvin (Alice), JoAnn (Tom) Seifert, Randy (Pam), sister-in-law Dorothy, and nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Dean, Joel, and Dale, and nephew Scott. Judy’s family is heartened to know that she is freed from her Earthly bonds and is able to run and join in song with the heavenly choir.

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