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Judy James |
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February 22, 1938 ~ January 17, 2018 |
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January 22, 2018 |
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Walk in the forest
Listen – her footsteps follow
The trees breathe...she’s there |
Judy James finished her walk in the woods on
January 17, 2018, a journey that lasted almost
80 years and touched the souls of all those who
walked with her. A memorial service will be held
at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 3, at Bonners
Ferry Funeral Home, 6485 Harrison Street,
Bonners Ferry.
She walked into the arms of God quietly with her
loving husband Don at her side. But this is not
the story of the end of the walk, instead it is
a celebration of the path she blazed as a loving
wife, mother, friend and community activist.
From Toki Doki beach and its ghost crabs, conch
shells and Camp James, where the kids set up for
another day of boogie boarding and sand castles,
to the wilds of Alaska with Don and the Woolies
camping in the Forever Car under the stars that
lit her way to adventure after adventure, Judy
truly lived her life.
That carefree spirit always was one of her
hallmarks. Born February 22, 1938, to Gilbert
and Irene Strassle in Salamanca, New York. Judy
married her high school sweetheart Don on August
31, 1957, and the odyssey began.
The two of them moved across the country from
New York to California, where children Susan,
David and Joann were born; then to Boulder,
Colorado, adding Eric and Robert; Saint Paul,
Minnesota and Nancy, Roseville Michigan and
then, in 1975, they moved to Estes Park,
Colorado, where Chris came along and the saga of
the James Gang began.
From humble beginnings living with six kids in a
tent at the Estes Park Campground for the summer
that first year, Judy taught the entire family
that life was about experiences, not things. She
showed them that a hike in Rocky Mountain
National Park was the best way to spend a
weekend, and she gave her kids the freedom to
explore the natural wonders in their backyard.
Home was a modest house on the side of a
mountain, with the “rock pile” in the back yard
and Old Man Mountain just up the road. Those are
important because the freedom to explore often
came with a rather urgent “Get out of the house,
it’s a beautiful day. Go climb a mountain. Go
play on the rocks!” from Judy. And we kids
would. Play on the rocks, climb that mountain,
play football in the backyard, or even climb to
the tree house in the huge pine tree next to the
house.
Once the family moved to Estes Park, there was a
James kid in the local high school every year
for 20 straight years. During that time Mom made
sure to make it to every extracurricular
activity – baseball games, band concerts, track
meets, football games, basketball games, ski
carnivals and more. In fact, after looking at
some old desk calendars she kept, it is obvious
that somewhere along the line she acquired the
ability to clone herself because it just isn’t
possible to be in six places at once, yet she
managed to do it.
The kids also had a well-rounded religious
education. During the summer, they were
Methodists, Presbyterians, Catholics or
Lutherans, depending on which Vacation Bible
School was in session that week.
In the winter, Judy taught visitors to ski at
Hidden Valley in exchange for season passes for
all of the kids. It’s amazing to think about
some of the days at that ski area when the wind
was howling and yet there she would be, moving
from beginner to beginner, helping each of them
up, cranking down their Spademan bindings with
the screw driver she kept in her pocket, and
helping them up to fall off the poma lift again.
She did it every day.
And she smiled every time one of her “Racer
Chaser” kids skied up to her to see how it was
going. At the end of each day, she loaded up
skis on the back of her Jeep CJ-5, put the kids
in the back (on the seat that wasn’t bolted
down) and trekked back down the hill to home.
At home, there was always dinner on the table
and food in the ‘fridge. It didn’t matter what
else had been going on that day. Judy was a
master of cooking pots of spaghetti or chili
large enough to feed the James Gang army.
She packed lunches for all the kids to take to
school each morning – sandwich, fruit and a
Little Debbie snack. On payday, she would go to
Circle Super Market and buy groceries. And
groceries. And more groceries. Most times she
would take a kid or two along just to help push
the carts.
No matter what our financial situation was
growing up, there was always food on the table
and a roof over our heads. According to Mom,
that is what mattered most.
Another thing that mattered to Judy was her
family. Mess with one of them and she would
pounce. There wasn’t a school board, principal,
city council or commission that she didn’t take
on, which led the local newspaper to describe
her as “Judy James, community activist” in one
article. She got a kick out of that honor but it
came because she always fought for what she knew
was right.
Like it was right to fight the policy that said
a boy on the basketball team had to have short
hair. She argued that kids should be able to ski
and play school sports and not have to
choose between the two. She wanted a better
school system, better recreational opportunities
and a better life for her family and she was
never afraid to let those feelings be known.
Her efforts paid off as her children were drum
majors, valedictorians, athletes and
high-achievers. She spoke only one regret about
how her kids turned out – when she found out
three of them were going to law school to become
lawyers, she shook her head and asked out loud,
“Where did I go wrong?”
As the kids grew up, Judy and Don took to the
road more and more, driving up to Alaska with
their malamutes, Kayla and Kiska, collectively
known as The Woolies. They camped along the way.
They explored new places.
They found Bonners Ferry, moved there in 2002
and lived there ever since. They explored the
woods and the back roads. Every morning found
them at the Chick ’n Chop, the Panhandle
Restaurant, JJ’s Cookshack or somewhere else
where good breakfast was served.
She was a member of the Rodbenders Car Club,
helped with the Borders 3 Car Show each year,
and went on the club’s many cruises in Don’s ’72
Chevelle.
The kids came to visit, and some even moved
nearby for a year or two. Judy was quick to
share the Idaho experience with everyone who
came up. From watching the fog trickle through
the valley to hearing the train whistles from
the nearby tracks to finding yet another
forgotten logging road to hike on through the
woods, Idaho was as close to Heaven as Judy
could find on Earth.
She always talked about just walking into the
woods when her time was done. While she couldn’t
do it literally, she certainly made the trek in
spirit.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Don,
her brother Lyle and sister Susan. She is also
survived by her children: Susan Perney, David
(and Raelene) James, Joann (and Danny) Davis,
Eric James, Robert (and Apryl) James, Nancy (and
Rob) Christensen and Christopher (and Jennifer)
James. Grandchildren Alec Perney, Zach, Rebekah,
Joe and Katie James, Mica and Eliza James, and
Jessica and Sage James and Dalton Swopes.
She was preceded in death by her son-in-law
Pierre Perney, who more than likely was there to
meet her at Heaven’s gate to give her the
“unofficial” tour of the place.
Would you like to make a contribution? Climb a
mountain, go skiing, go for a hike, play in the
rocks – just get outside! Run ahead to the next
fork in the trail and wait there – she’ll catch
up. And be sure to be home before the street
lights come on.
Judy, Mom, thank you for setting such a good
example for all of us. You were an inspiration
and the quiet center of our family. We know that
God won’t have to worry about how to watch us
all at once, because now he has you to help Him
out. And we will continue to live our lives
making life better for other people. |
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