Judy Ilene Lawson

Judy Ilene Miller was born on October 16, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri, the first child welcomed by June and Eugene Miller after Eugene's return from serving as a bombardier in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Growing up in post-war Missouri, Judy gained a younger brother Gary in the early 1950s, and decades later, twin sisters Jennifer and Janette were born when Judy was already approaching adulthood.

In the mid-1960s, Judy's life took an exciting turn when she met Brian Lawson in the Los Angeles area. Those who knew her then remembered her driving a classic orange-red Mustang—a perfect reflection of her spirited personality. She married Brian and embraced California living, settling near her parents who had also relocated to the West Coast. The young couple started their family in Los Angeles, welcoming daughter Kelley June in the early 1960s, followed by Kiersten Jeanne and Kristoffer Brian.

Family life required practical adjustments, and Judy traded her beloved Mustang for a more family-friendly green AMC Gremlin. When Brian's sales career necessitated a move to Colorado in the mid-1970s, Judy demonstrated the resilience that would define her character. With Brian already relocated for work, she courageously drove their two young daughters and baby Kristoffer over 2,600 miles from Los Angeles to Lonedell, Missouri, where her parents had moved, and then onward to Arvada, Colorado—a journey that included memorable moments of car sickness but showcased her determination.

The family's final relocation brought them to the Red Hills of Dundee, Oregon, where they settled in a house with breathtaking views of three Cascade mountains. It was here that their fourth child, Kasey Jakob, was born in the late 1970s. The birth occurred during an era when Portland maternity wards didn't allow family visitors, leading to the poignant image of Brian and the three older children gathering on a hospital parking garage roof to glimpse the building where Judy was caring for their newest family member.

Life in Oregon brought both challenges and opportunities for personal growth. When divorce left Judy a single mother in her thirties during the 1980s, she transformed into what her family would later describe as "a badass because she needed to be, but also because she just was." She taught herself practical skills that defied traditional gender roles—learning to fix toilets and sinks, operating a chainsaw to clear overgrown filbert and juniper trees, and managing all aspects of home maintenance. Her "no-nonsense demeanor" earned her the nickname "Judo Judy" among those who knew her well.

Professionally, Judy found her calling in the financial sector, becoming an indispensable part of Want & Emery CPA firm in Newberg, where she helped prepare tax returns and managed office operations for decades. Her colleagues and clients appreciated her practical intelligence and common sense approach to complex financial matters. She had little patience for those who lacked practical know-how, often rolling her eyes at displays of impracticality, whether from her well-educated children or public figures.

Faith played a central role in Judy's life through her membership at Chehalem Valley Baptist Church in Newberg, where she was a charter member from the church's founding around 1975. Her deep Southern Baptist faith sustained her through life's challenges and joys. She served the congregation faithfully for decades, providing bookkeeping and secretarial services while the church community reciprocated with practical support—most memorably when church members replaced her house roof during a time when she couldn't afford the repairs herself.

Perhaps most celebrated among Judy's many talents was her artisanal baking. She created countless gorgeous cakes that crowned special occasions for family, church members, and friends. Her Christmas sugar cookies were legendary—she produced hundreds each December to meet overwhelming demand. Even when disaster struck, such as the time Kiersten accidentally damaged a wedding cake an hour before the ceremony, Judy's expertise shone through as she expertly refrosted the cake, turning potential catastrophe into triumph.

Beyond baking, Judy's creative talents encompassed numerous crafts. She made sparkling Christmas ornaments in the 1970s that family members still cherish today. She sewed clothing for her children, complete with "Made With Love By Mom" labels that may not have been fully appreciated at the time but later became treasured memories. Her furniture-making skills allowed her to create beautiful, enduring pieces to celebrate milestone moments in her children's lives.

Travel became one of Judy's great pleasures, beginning with her first passport in 1978 for a business trip to Spain and the Bahamas with Brian. She developed a passion for visiting historical sites both in the United States and internationally. The 1990s and 2000s brought particularly joyful trips and cruises with her parents and sister Jan. One especially meaningful journey was visiting Pearl Harbor Memorial with her World War II veteran father—a poignant connection between his service and her appreciation for history.

Judy's intellectual curiosity manifested in her love for mystery novels, television shows, and films. Family members marveled at her ability to solve mysteries before the reveal, demonstrating what they called her "unpretentious intelligence." This same sharp mind served her well in her professional life and made her a formidable opponent in wit and sarcasm—qualities her children learned to appreciate and eventually return with loving irreverence.

In 2009, Judy faced her greatest health challenge when diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Under the care of Dr. Kelly Perlewitz at Providence Newberg Cancer Institute, she underwent intensive combination chemotherapy. Her surgeon called her "a miracle" when she achieved complete remission and lived cancer-free for over fifteen years—a testament to both medical excellence and her own fighting spirit.

The years following her cancer treatment brought new challenges as the long-term effects of chemotherapy took their toll. Advanced kidney disease, multiple bone fractures from falls, and various infections gradually diminished her physical capabilities. Throughout these trials, her primary physician Dr. Tamra Rodgers provided trusted medical guidance for decades.

Judy's final years were marked by the loss of her beloved mother June, who died on October 31, 2024, after living with Judy for many years. The two women had shared a close bond, and June's passing marked the end of an era. Judy spent her last two years at Spring Ridge Assisted Living in Charbonneau, Oregon, where caregivers came to recognize and appreciate "the look"—that distinctive expression of wry observation that her children had learned to decode decades earlier.

When Judy entered hospice care, she faced the end with characteristic clarity and courage. She told her doctor that she held no fear of death, only sadness at leaving her family behind. In her final weeks, she spoke often of her parents, and her family found comfort knowing she would soon be reunited with them. True to her personality, she was sent to the next world wearing a t-shirt that read "I came. I saw. I made a sarcastic remark."

Judy Ilene Lawson's legacy lives on through her four children and their families, her siblings, and the countless lives she touched through her church service, professional work, and generous spirit. Her story is one of resilience, creativity, faith, and the kind of practical love that builds strong families and communities. As her obituary beautifully concluded, to honor Judy's memory, one need only "be sweetly sarcastic to someone you love, and know their devotion and love to you goes deeper than words can express."