 |
On June 30th, 1998 we lost a great person. For nearly four years Judy
Mandernach battled ovarian cancer. Those who were close to Judy are grateful
that her pain is gone forever, but we now miss our friend terribly. Judy was
only 58.
For twenty five of my thirty two years, Judy was my friend. I first met
Judy in 1973 when I was seven years old. Her son, Kent, played on the same
soccer team that my buddy Jason Hale and I played on. Soon the Mandernachs,
the Hales and the Stones were celebrating holidays and eachother's birthdays
together and taking annual vacations to the Rocky Mountains. Thus, "The Group"
was born. All the parents of "The Group", but especially Judy, always made me
feel more like a peer than a child. She was always respectful of my opinions
and was never patronizing. That meant so much to me. Judy possessed a rare
ability for giving her full attention to you when you needed it most. My spirits
were always lifted after talking to Judy about something that was bothering me,
for I knew that someone else now understood my problem...it was a very comforting
feeling. I know of no one that possesses this gift to the degree that Judy
did and her unselfish willingness to use it is perhaps even more remarkable.
Judy had a wonderfully warm smile. And her laugh was often a unique mixture
of sincerity and playfull mischievousness. I think some of the below pictures
captured these qualities. Judy loved the outdoors, especially Brushyland (my
dad's land in East Texas) and it's not hard to envision her sitting around a
warm campfire on a cold Thanksgiving Day or judging an Easter egg coloring
contest under a canopy of East Texas pines. The memories of Judy will never
fade from the minds of those who knew her and she will be fondly talked about
in the future by people who never even had a chance to meet her...certainly by
her children's children, certainly by my children.
|
|
