Judith L. Werner

Judy was born May 15, 1943 to Ethel and Clifford Werner in Cleveland, Ohio, and graduated from Parma High School in 1961. She went to Stanford University for her undergraduate work, then on to Harvard in 1965, where she also did a summer Arabic program at the American University of Cairo in Egypt. She received her M.A. in Middle East Studies in 1967. She was working on her doctorate in Anthropology at the University of Michigan, and did field work in Morocco for several years, but had to return to the States in 1974 before finishing.

Judy worked for the U.S. Dept. of the Army, and later the U.S. Dept. of the Navy, as a civilian employee, and lived in various places (San Diego, San Antonio, Washington DC and Norfolk, Virginia), as well as traveling professionally. She was a curriculum development specialist and also wrote medical and health manuals, which were published by the government. Judy knew a lot about both physical health and mental health/psychology—from lived experience and from her own research.

When she retired in 2004, Judy moved to Chicago to take care of her aging mother for several years. After her mother died, in 2011 Judy moved back to Cleveland because she wanted to return to a climate that had “the glory of the 4 seasons” (Judy especially loved winter, but she also liked nature in general). She enjoyed her last years there, exploring the parks and restaurants and a few organizations with her friend Irma, before the onset of declining health.

Judy was passionate about cats, and rescuing cats, and was an avid member of the The Humane Society, PETA and other animal welfare agencies. She was a devoted and patient caregiver to her own cats, some of whom were older and had various health problems. She also loved wolves and coyotes and many wild animals, and was an advocate for the Native American ‘web of life,’ which considers animal and plant life just as important as human life. She was deeply concerned about the environment and saving wilderness areas, and wanted to visit Alaska and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge when she retired (she didn’t make it there though).

Judy loved to read and belonged to at least one book club, liked classical music (Beethoven in particular), loved eating out at different ethnic restaurants, and liked shopping for clothes. She also loved talking on the phone and in-depth discussions—she could talk for hours about politics and the history of labor unions and borderline personality disorders and fundamentalist religions—and more!

Judy had a powerful intellect, and she valued that aspect of her life. She was also a kind, polite and compassionate friend, who didn’t look down on others nor judge them by outer achievements. She was an introspective, private person who considered herself moody. But she also had a large dose of pragmatism, as well as a need for routine.

Judy’s childhood was extremely traumatic, and during most of her adult life she had a great deal of emotional and physical pain, including chronic migraines. Thus her goal was often to be a survivor—to get through painful periods as best she could so that she could enjoy the beauty of snow or the skies again.

And she did just that, often by herself and right up to the end—she had such a strong life force inside her.

Judy was fortunate to have several important people and agencies in her life in her last years, namely, Mordechai Lichenstein, Kiera Snyder and Diamond Porter of Guardian Connection in Cleveland, and O’Neill Health Care Middleburg Heights, which also provided hospice care.

Judy didn’t marry nor have siblings, but she leaves her good friend, Irma Laszlo, of Parma, Ohio; her longtime friend from Harvard days, Lynn Balster Liontos, of Eugene, Oregon; her caregiver, Diamond Porter, who also became a valued friend; and her cat Pierre, who now lives with Diamond and her family.

Graveside services will be held Tuesday April 8th at 10 a.m. at Ridge Road Cemetery 2.

Donations in Judy's name can be made to animal welfare organizations, environmental agencies, public libraries—or an agency of your choice (Judy would be both surprised and happy to be remembered).