Celebrant Pam Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Judy was an only child born to her parents, Mable and James, in Evansville, Indiana, on February 2nd, 1945. She was greatly influenced by Mable's parents, who grew up during the Depression years. Judy's grandparents laid a strong foundation as they set an example and shared with others in need.

Judy was a very happy child with lots of friends. Her dream was to become a wife, a mommy and have children one day, so she'd play with her dolls and ride them around in her buggy. She also had an early love of bunny rabbits. In her own words, she wrote:

"As a little girl, one of my favorite books was The Tale of Peter Rabbit. I liked how he sneaked under the fence and tricked Mr. McGregor and the suspenseful chase that would follow. It was fun for me. One Easter, my neighbor gave me a real bunny and of course, I named him Peter. My dad built him a cage and he became my best friend. I would push him in my doll carriage and dress him up in doll clothes. We lived next to the elementary school, so every day, when he would hear the school bell for dismissal, he'd stand up on his hind legs waiting for me to get home and let him out of the cage. He'd run around the yard eating grass and clover. Over the years, Peter grew to be a big bunny. One year, we were planning to take our annual vacation back east to see family and wondered what to do with Peter while we were gone. My dad worked with a man who raised rabbits, so he agreed to keep Peter while we were gone. Unfortunately, while we were gone, Peter died. The gentleman felt that Peter died of a broken heart because I had left him. He was so used to me playing with him every day. In the late 70s, people were collecting teddy bears and I wanted to have a collection, so what better thing for me, than bunnies. So, that's how my collection of bunnies got started."

In high school, Judy was a cheerleader. She took dancing lessons and piano lessons. When she was 16, she met her future husband in Bob Celano. They dated for three years. She graduated at the age of 18. One year later, at the age of 19, she married Bob. The couple had two sons, Rob and Tim. The couple grew apart and divorced six years later. In 1969, she met O.D. The couple married in 1970 and their son, Curt, was born a year later. Judy and O.D. were married for 16 years.

Becoming a mother was Judy's greatest joy in life. She was truly a wonderful, devoted mother. In the early years, she was a classroom and a lunch time volunteer at school. She supported the boys in Little League and Soccer. She also helped with her stepsons. She had a big heart for children – she loved all kids.

The family celebrated the traditional holidays including Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. For Easter, she made Easter baskets and she liked hiding eggs for an Easter Egg Hunt. It was a special tradition that she would eventually share with her grandchildren. For Thanksgiving, she made a turkey with all of the trimmings. And for Christmas, she put up a Christmas tree, lights, decorations and Santa Claus always visited when the kids were young.

She enjoyed baking Christmas cookies and desserts. She made birthday cakes and later on, she made Icebox Pudding Cakes, which are a favorite birthday treat in the family.

Judy's life blossomed when she answered her calling with the Christian Ministry of Dr. James Dobson and "Focus on the Family." She got in on the ground floor, she did administrative work for 20 years with the company and she loved it. When the company moved in the 1990s to Colorado, she moved with the company. Tim helped with the transition and moved there for a while, too. She loved the work and she came home to visit her family as often as possible, especially holidays. She moved from Colorado back to Azusa to help Tim after Tanner was born. She took a year off and then went back to work at APU where she helped students in the financial aid department. She worked there for a decade, until three years ago.

"One of the most important responsibilities in the Christian life is to care about others, smile at them, and be a friend to the friendless." That is a quote from Dr. James Dobson and Judy lived her life by the same approach, as she was a humble missionary. She was involved in her church family here at Cornerstone Bible Church for 13 years and she volunteered her time as well. When she helped unwed mothers, she brought a young mother and her baby into her home for a while to help. She loved small children, her faith was strong, and her generosity of time and love was consistent.

She reached out to her prayer group via email with inspirational Bible verses. And she organized groups of her friends and family to attend a weekend-long "Women Of Faith" event at the Honda Center. She handled all of the details, made commitments at her own cost, and booked rooms. It was a weekend of inspirational and motivational speakers. She recruited so many people to join her including her daughter-in-law Jackie, who loved it so much, she went back and attended another year. Judy was thoughtful and she was always expanding her reach. There was nothing she wouldn't sacrifice to give someone else a better life. She always had a generous heart.

Judy always told her sons – "I love you, son." When her sons were married, she was supportive of her daughters-in-law and always boosted people up in her conversations and phone calls. She made everyone feel good about life.

To her grandchildren, she was known as "Grandma Judy." She would tell Caleb from Toy Story, "I love you to infinity and beyond." She loved going to Tanner and Caleb's soccer games. She played card games and board games with her grandchildren, too. She liked spending time with them and she was very proud of them.

Judy's favorite times of the year were the holidays because she loved it when everyone got together. She'd get so excited for the holidays. For Christmas, she always gave her grandchildren a special ornament that was something they were interested in at the time – such as a soccer guy or a saxophone.

She also loved one special week during the summertime when she could take her grandchildren to Vacation Bible School.

Judy enjoyed her life and spending time with her friends. She had a card group that played Canasta once a month and she loved her ladies' groups.

She had a sense of humor and she liked to laugh. She enjoyed watching television, especially Lifetime movies, Survivor and HGTV. Taking an interest in home improvements, she recently had her kitchen redone and she chose the colors to have her home repainted.

Over the years, she enjoyed some traveling. She took a cruise, went to Hawaii with O.D. and in 1984 Judy joined her family for a trip to Maui and the Big Island. She also traveled back east to visit extended family and she went to Colorado to spend time with friends. About four years ago, she traveled to Las Vegas with a group of friends to see Celine Dion in concert. She loved that concert and talked about it often.

For the past 13 years, Judy and her mother, Mable, have lived in their beautiful home in Azusa. They were mother and daughter but also best friends. They'd have dinner together and then play a game of dominoes in the evenings. Judy was always grateful and thankful for her mother's steady and faithful presence in her life.

In May 2011, Judy was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Judy's response, "The Lord has a plan for all of us." She was very calm, matter-of-fact and she had faith in her doctors. She also knew she would not take the journey of health care alone. The next few years involved a lot of treatments and doctor appointments. She kept everyone informed through her prayer list via email and people prayed for her. While people prayed for her, she also prayed for other people in need.

The brighter spots during those times of treatment were spending time with her children and grandchildren. Then, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought it twice. She took that experience and counseled and supported other breast cancer patients and survivors.

Judy was not afraid to die. In fact, it was her choice to go on Hospice care. She told her family that she was at peace because she knew where she was going. She asked them, "What's the worst that's going to happen? I'm going to be with Jesus?" She was right.

Judy once wrote that her one wish was to spend more time with her kids and grandkids. The one thing that made her see red was people who didn't keep their word. And her greatest accomplishment was leading others to Christ. She truly had fulfilled her purpose on earth.

Over the last three weeks, everyone spent time with her including her family, her friends and her Pastors. Her mother helped to care for her and their relationship had really come full circle. Her mother cared for Judy in the beginning of life and in the end of life. In her closing days, Judy's family gave her permission to go... Judy's Bible was by her bedside, as she passed away peacefully in her own home.

Mable will miss her daughter but she knows she is at peace and they will be reunited again one day. Judy's sons will miss their "Mom" – her love, her generosity, her guidance and support. The entire family will miss her presence.

Judy will best be remembered as a Christian who was loving, caring, generous and supportive. She truly lived a life of purpose. Her faith was strong from her first breath until her last. She took people by the hand, gave them a community, she 'walked the walk' and led people to Christ. She would want everyone to know that she's at peace in heaven now.

Throughout Judy's home, there are happy bunny rabbits everywhere from bunny rabbit light switches to bunny rabbit tic-tac-toe. And so her advice to all of you would be the same as the words from Peter Rabbit's mother... "Now, run along and don't get into mischief. I am going out." As she watches over her family now, may Judy rest in peace.

Judy was preceded in death by her father James. She is loved and remembered by her mother Mable; her son Rob and daughter-in-law Lisa; her son Tim; her son Curt and daughter-in-law Jackie; her four grandchildren Garrett, Tanner, Sydney, and Caleb; extended family and many friends.