To Judy R. Jordan, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around her, she seemed to be eternally happy, and she willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Judy, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, she could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Judy really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.
Her parents were Ralph Ruiz Sr. and Fay Montoya. Judy was raised in Salt Lakes City, Utah. Even as a child, Judy had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. She was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, she succeeded in entertaining her entire family.
Always a good playmate, Judy was easygoing and fun loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even during family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Judy managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Judy was raised with two siblings, Ralph Ruiz, Jr and Carlos Jiminez.
All of Judy's playful good humor carried over into her childhood. She was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed her to be constantly on the go. As a result, Judy experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited her very well. She took part in running and drama. She was involved in plays performing as an actor and taking on some leading roles, she was also involved with Hispanic student issues. In her spare time she liked swimming, sewing and cooking with her mom. Judy's memorable achievements included being a skilled homemaker, quilter, having many friends and being popular in school, enjoyed participating in plays, having a knack to sense issues with friends and family and talking to them weekly and most importantly her children and grandchildren giving her a reason to live.
Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Judy was a class “cut-up.” She didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Judy simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sounds of her friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Judy, grades may not have been the most important thing to her, but she really did enjoy her school experience. Since experience was Judy's best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory. She enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was health. The teachers she enjoyed learning from the most were her drama and acting coaches. Judy was very out going, optimistic and had many friends who enjoyed watching her plays.
Judy never actually encountered a stranger in her dealings with people. She was drawn to individuals and crowds, using her gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality allowed Judy to continually develop new relationships, ever widening her circle of friends. Judy delighted in her role among all her acquaintances, because she viewed them all as potential spectators for her performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Judy was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. Judy utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of her best friends were too many to count. Her entire high school were her friends. Judy loved sharing life and having her home filled with people she knew.
The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Judy very easy to approach. On November 14, 1990 Judy exchanged wedding vows with David S. Jordan. She tried hard not to impose on her spouse. She was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.
Perhaps the reason Judy related so well to children was the fact that she never really completely grew up herself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped her in raising her own children. Judy was blessed with five children, four daughters, Lisa, Dede, Stacy and Brandy, and one son, Eric. They were also blessed with six grandchildren, Christopher, Nicole, Nesha, Dominick, Jordan and Caleb and two great grandchildren Juliana and Ayden. Judy had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of her attention was directed. Judy's compassionate side prevented her from being a strict disciplinarian, and she could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. She could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Judy had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.
At work, as in life, Judy was a real “people person.” She had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and her enthusiasm and energy was often contagious. Judy liked to see herself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Judy was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Judy's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around her to see Judy as an excellent problem solver. Her primary occupation was a loving mother. She was employed as a nurse's assistant, a heavy equipment operator and a semi-conductor operator.
Judy enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Judy liked creating and making things. Her favorite pursuits were dancing, listening to music, traveling, being outdoors and being with family. Judy was content to enjoy her hobbies alone but was also willing to share her interests with others.
Judy felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if she wasn’t the best, Judy loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Judy relished the opportunities where she could make an impact, and she would often push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Judy never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Judy was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were softball and baseball. Judy loved to cheer on all her children and grandchildren in any sport they were involved in.
Living life in the fast lane suited Judy just fine. It is no surprise that she loved to travel and to visit new and different places. She was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real life adventure that came from visiting them. She was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included England, Mexico and San Diego.
Judy was a lover of animals and cherished her pets, enjoying them almost as much as she enjoyed being around other people. Two of Judy's favorites were Destin, a Newfoundland and Toby, a Courgie.
Judy believed that you had to experience life, and her life in retirement was no different. When that day finally arrived in 2009, Judy took it in stride as one more way to have fun. With her boundless energy and a desire to get the most out of life, Judy remained busy with people and projects. In retirement, she found new pleasure in being a grandmother. Even in retirement, Judy continued to stay in touch with her old friends and, since she'd never met a stranger, she made plenty of new acquaintances as well.
Judy passed away on March 4, 2014 at Select Specialty Hospital at St. Josephs Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Judy fought a brave battle against pneumonia. She is survived by her husband David Jordan; her children Lisa Valentine (Mark), Dede Kesler (Vaughn), Stacy Medel (Rod), Eric Brunyer (Elysia) and Brandy Summers (Donnie); her grandchildren Christopher Gibbs, Nicole Gottschalk, Nesha Winkle, Dominick Medel, Jordan Medel and Caleb Brunyer; and her great grandchildren Juliana Gibbs and Ayden Gibbs. Celebration of Life services were held at Lakeshore Mortuary in Mesa, Arizona.
Judy brought joy to all of those around her. She never had a mean bone in her body. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and her zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Judy R. Jordan lived life to its fullest and made everyone around her happier just for knowing her. She will be remembered with a smile.
Judy R. Jordan passed away March 4, 2014 in Phoenix, AZ. Judy was born July 3, 1949 to Ralph Ruiz Sr. and Fay Montoya. She is survived by her husband, David Jordan; children, Lisa Valentine (Mark), Dede Kesler (Vaughn), Stacy Medel (Rod), Eric Brunyer (Elysia) and Brandy Summers (Donnie), and 6 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. Judy is preceded in death by her father, Ralph Ruiz Sr., mother Fay Montoya, and brother, Ralph Ruiz Jr. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Sat., Mar 8, 2014 at 2:00pm at Lakeshore Mortuary Chapel, 1815 S. Dobson Rd., Mesa, AZ. A reception will follow the services at Lakeshore Mortuary. In Lieu of Flowers, please make contributions to: Crisis Nursery @ www.crisisnurseryphx.org in tribute to Judy Jordan. For more information, please visit the website: www.LakeshoreMort.com.
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