Judith Virginia Anderson of Okemos, MI, a woman who brought joy, encouragement, inspiration, and help to so many in both her personal and professional lives has died just five days short of her 75th birthday. She is survived by her husband of 43 years, David Atwood Wentworth, and her siblings, Keith M. Anderson and Laura Simon.
Judy was born April 20, 1944, to Virginia (MacDonald) Anderson and George Anderson and grew up primarily in the Lima, OH, area – graduating from Spencerville (OH) H.S. Her early involvement in 4-H activities sparked her interest in human nutrition and was the beginning of her long career as a dedicated community nutrition educator.
She majored in Home Economics at Maryville College (TN) and graduated from U of North Carolina, Greensboro. Her first job out of college was with the Dairy Council in the rural counties of VA and WV around Bristol, VA, where she honed her skills in exciting and motivating people to improve their nutrition. She loved her TV and small group teaching experiences. After several years as Executive Director she returned to academia, getting her Master’s in Nutrition and her Doctorate in Public Health from UNC, Chapel Hill.
During grad school Judy developed a course on Behavioral Change which focused on ways to get people to improve their eating to become healthier. Judy enjoyed her years as a faculty member at Kansas State U, U of Michigan –Ann Arbor, and Michigan State U. Her students found her to be an outstanding and inspiring teacher, and many of them became close friends in later years.
While she was on the MSU faculty the MI Department of Public Health (later Community Health) hired her to write a book, Basic Nutrition Facts. Then, in 1990 she accepted the position of Nutrition Consultant and Michigan 5 A Day Coordinator for MDCH. Her interest in developing programs led her to form the MI 5 A Day Coalition in 1995 to “Help the people of Michigan to increase their daily consumption of fruits and vegetables as an essential part of a healthier lifestyle.” She continued to expand the program by recruiting supermarket and grant money. In 2003 Judy moved to the Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) in the Department and threw all her energy and enthusiasm into improving nutrition for Michigan’s young children.
After 20 years working for the state Judy retired, but her exceptional work ethic and enthusiasm for life continued. She had developed her sewing skills in high school and had early on made many of her own clothes. Faced with retirement the artist and drive in her led her to sign up for a booth at a craft show held only two weeks after her last day of work. She enthusiastically threw herself into her hobby business, Judy’s Crazy Quilt Creations, and for 8 years until her death she, with her friend Pat Smith, had booths at 2 or 3 arts/craft shows per year. Judy was always happy when she was sewing and creating her intricate embroidery.
Judy lived for over 30 years with multiple sclerosis. Her energy, work ethic, generosity, positivity, and humor awed and inspired those who knew her. For her last 18 years Judy used an electric scooter to get around, but her friends got used to it. And it did not prevent her indomitable, positive spirit from showing through. If anything, it reminded friends that she could do most anything.
In October 2018 life tossed Judy another curve ball. She was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. One doctor advised her to prepare to die, but Judy was not one to give up without a fight. She absolutely wanted to live. “There’s so much I want to do.” She sought out the best treatment at the Pancreatic Cancer Clinic at U of M. Although a cure was not found, her family finds great solace in the fact that she was able to remain at home and not experience great pain and discomfort. Toward the end she would often comment, “If they say I am so sick, why do I feel so good.” Her spirit and vitality live on in the memories of many.
Donations: Judy faced two major diseases—multiple sclerosis and pancreatic cancer.
Donations in Judy’s memory may be made to:
National MS Society, MI Chapter
29777 Telegraph Rd., Suite1651
Southfield, MI 48034
248-351-2190
nationalmssociety.org/chapters/MIG
PanCAN (Pancreatic Cancer Action Network)
1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200
Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
310-725-0025
The family is being served by Gorsline Runciman Funeral Home, East Chapel, East Lansing.
Memories and condolences may be shared at www.greastlansing.com
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