Judy Ellen Elizarraras

Judy was born in Los Angeles, CA on November 11, 1954. Her parents Rylie & Ethel Potter raised her in Compton, CA. Her siblings remember her as a happy free spirit who enjoyed riding bikes, playing with the other kids on her street, family get- togethers for holidays, and going to Grandpa’s house to play with her cousins. She also loved music and dancing and wouldn’t hesitate to break out dancing if she heard something that moved her on KRLA. The third of five children, she was a big help to her mother with her younger siblings and around the house.

When she was a senior in high school, she met her future husband Javier through mutual friends and it was love at first sight. She graduated from Dominguez High School in 1972, then married the love of her life on January 12, 1973. Javier and Judy got right to work on their family. Son Javier was born on November 4, 1973, son Jeffrey was born on August 29, 1974, twins Daughter Viviana and Son Jose arrived on April 8, 1977 and the baby of the family, Daniel, was born on February 9, 1985.

In 1976, she took her first trip to Mexico. Rylie drove Ethel, Javier, Judy and her 2 sons, Javier and Jeff, to Tariacuri, Michoacán where she met Javier’s family. After the twins were born, Judy had 3 babies in diapers and one wild child getting into everything, so her mother in law came from Mexico to help Judy and Javier with the kids. After the arrival of Daniel in 1985, their home in Bellflower was running out of room. They decided to do an upstairs addition which added on four bedrooms and two bathrooms. With Grandma Maria’s help, she learned all the secrets of cooking a Mexican meal and would use this new skill to host family from here in the United States as well as family from Mexico.

By the 1983-1984 school year, all four of her children were attending Ramona Elementary School in Bellflower. She took a job as an instructional aide at the school so she could be close to them and, over the next 30 years, worked with hundreds of kids in the Bellflower Unified School District. Caring for children and helping them learn was her true calling. She loved kids and the kids she worked with loved Mrs. Judy.

She was a devoted and faithful wife and mother. Together with Javier, they always presented a united front. In 1996, with the kids grown and mostly out of the house, the grandchildren started to arrive. Her grandchildren were the pride and joy of her life.

She retired from Education after the 2014 school year and Javier retired in June 2015. She enjoyed the extra time with Javier and was absolutely in love with her newest grandson, Baby Daniel (her handsome baby boy). She had just put him to sleep and was rocking him in her chair, happy and in love with life when she was called home to God on Thursday August 20, 2015.

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Judy Ellen (Potter) Elizarraras was born on November 11, 1954 to Rylie and Ethel Potter. She grew up in Compton, CA along with her siblings; David, Larry, Steve and Penny. She met her husband Javier through mutual friends and it was love at first sight. They were married on January 12, 1973. Javier and Judy then started their family where they went on to have 5 children; Javier, Jeffrey, Jose, Viviana, and Daniel. She was an employee for Bellflower Unified School District where she had a heart full of love for all the children that crossed her path in the 30+ years she worked there. Beloved Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, and Friend has entered into eternal life on August 20, 2015. She is survived by husband Javier, Sons; Javier, Jeff (Brandie), Joe (Taryn), Daniel (Jannell) and Daughter; Viviana (Harry), Grandchildren; Arianna, Taylor, Jeremy, Leslie, Kareena, Harrison, Liliana, Baby Daniel and Stepgrandchildren; Xavier, Natalie, Raymond, Lanaya, Vincent, and Addison. She is also survived by brothers; David (Alyce), Larry, Steve, Jesus (Carol), Jose (Beatrice), Salvador (Melana), Reynaldo (Adriana), Rigo and Sisters; Penny (Rick), Delfina, Genoveva (Alfonso), Miroslava, Sylvia plus many more Aunts, Uncles, Nieces, Nephews, Cousins and Friends.