Judith P. Locher

Judith Piers Locher was born in West Palm Beach, Florida, to John and Elizabeth (Moore) Piers. The family moved to Memphis, TN when Judy was six months old, then to Paducah, Kentucky at the age of four, when her father became a partner in an insurance agency, Bradshaw and Weil.

Judy graduated from St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, Indiana having majored in Art. She met her future husband, Robert (Bob) Locher at Notre Dame. After graduation from St. Mary’s, she married Bob in 1965. The marriage prospered for 56 years until her death.

Judy and Bob moved to Glenview, Illinois where Judy worked as a wallpaper consultant at Warner Brothers and Thybony’s in Evanston, Il.

Judy left salaried work for the birth of their first child, Rob, followed by Michael (deceased), Elizabeth and John. After a short stint living in the Dallas Texas area, the family moved to Deerfield, Illinois. They lived there for 22 years and raised their children there.

Once the children were largely on their own, Judy returned to school at Mundelein College in Chicago, earning a Master’s degree in Religious Studies. She then studied at Mt. Mary College in Milwaukee, Wis. where she received another Master’s degree, this time in Art Therapy.

Judy worked two years as an intern in Art Therapy, working in locked ward mental hospitals, and became fully qualified as an Art Therapist.

Judy, Bob and son John moved to Geyserville, California in 1994. Judy worked as an Art Therapist at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa, splitting time equally between outpatient programs and with locked ward patients, working there just under ten years.

In 2004 Judy and Bob moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, where she semi-retired after working for Options Mental Health. She combined her two master’s degrees at St. Anne’s church in Grants Pass in offering sessions combining Spirituality and Art Therapy. The group has continued for over 8 years, to her and the attendees’ satisfaction! The program is being continued under new leadership.

She joined a weight lifting group called Strong women, for 16 years, which met three times a week. She loved the exercise but particularly the camaraderie of the group.

She also enjoyed traveling with or without Bob, and did so for many years, going to China twice; Italy, Alaska, Canada, the Bahamas, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Palestine, Morocco, France, Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein, Germany, New Zealand, and last year to Spain with her daughter, Elizabeth.

Judy was an avid reader; she enjoyed knitting, doing art and especially enjoyed life’s beauty.

Judy peacefully passed away from cancer. At her bedside were her husband Bob, son Rob, and daughter Elizabeth. The family wants to express special thanks to the Asante Hospice for the wonderful care and attention in Judy’s last days.

She is survived by her husband of 56 years, Bob Locher, son Rob Locher, daughter Elizabeth Kazik and husband John Kazik, son John Locher and his wife Amber, and four grandchildren, Nick Kolesar, Jonah Kolesar, Sean Locher and Lily Locher, as well as her sister, Mary Piers Day. She was preceded in death by son Michael, her parents, and her brothers Jack Piers and Lewis Piers.

A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anne Catholic Church, in Grants Pass, Oregon.