Judy A Sanford-Tietze

Smart and with a great sense of humor, Judy Anne Sanford-Tietze, age 64, picked 10/10/10, the date of New Beginnings, to be reborn into Everlasting Life, after a courageous two-year battle with ALS. She was born on November 16, 1945, in Somerville, MA to Harold and Mary Sanford and grew up in Reading, MA. She attended Reading Memorial HS where she graduated with honors. She was a leader in high school and involved in many activities. As Captain of the baton squad, she led drills and choreographed routines with enthusiasm and encouragement. She was member of the Student Council for 3 years and in her Senior year served as Secretary of the Student Council and Editor of the school newspaper. In high school, Judy was known for her great sense of humor, and her vivacious, friendly personality.

She attended the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where she met her future husband Erich Tietze. She graduated with a B.A. in Education in 1967, and taught elementary education in the Boston school system while living in Cambridge with her life-long friends Gail and Judy, who were also teachers. She was married in 1969 and taught school in the Amherst area. In 1970 they moved to Monterey, CA where Erich was assigned to the US Army at Fort Ord. While at Fort Ord, two wonderful children were born - Brian Christopher in 1971 and Kristen Michelle in 1973. After living in Monterey, CA for four years, they moved to the Seattle area in 1974.

Judy lived in Sheridan Terrace north of Seattle until 2001, when she moved to her condominium in Edmonds. She worked as Senior Accountant for Northwest Hospital in Seattle and retired from there after 24 years when her ALS symptoms began.

Judy was known for her beautiful smile, her big brown doe eyes, her warm, caring nature, and the best hugs ever. She took pleasure in making others happy by sending them greeting cards and gifts...the running joke was that she kept Hallmark in business (folks you better sell your stock).  She nicknamed herself The Judy Rabbit and The Jude and had a special ability to listen to whatever you had to say and make you feel special. She loved laughing, dancing and watching movies.

Her main passion in life was her two children. She and her daughter Kristen were inseparable and had a special mama/little girl bond even though Kristen is 37 years old. They were best friends and would do everything together. They would talk and talk and laugh and laugh and talk and talk some more. That's why it was so very sad for them when Judy lost her ability to speak over a year ago. Judy, whom Kristen called Mama Bear, was Kristen's biggest acting fan and always "puffed up" with pride (as she called it) whenever she attended Kristen's performances...she never missed one performance since Kristen began her acting career as a young child and this always made Kristen feel like the biggest star there could ever be. Brian and Judy's favorite times together were spent at the beach in Edmonds and at Ocean Shores. Brian was a live-in companion and caregiver to Judy during the last year of her life and she was very appreciative of that. She called him her "trooper."

During Judy's final weeks, Kristen would lie in bed with her mom at Evergreen Hospice Center and sing "I've got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Down in my Heart." Even though Judy could barely respond, she gave Kristen a tiny thumbs up, one of her "yes" signals she used for the past year since she had lost her speech. This brought joy to Kristen's heart. Judy was a fighter with this disease and was a fighter her whole life as a courageous single mom raising her two small children. We called her Rocky Balboa. Toward the end, the nurses kept asking if there was someone Judy was waiting for because she was fighting so hard when most would have passed. On 10/10/10, Kristen told her mom, "I heard that several months ago you were worried about me being sad after you passed and not being able to survive since we are so close. She said, "Mom, I will miss you so much, but I want you to know that in honor of you, I will live a life full of joy, and I will tell you about everything I do, just like always. Goodbye for now mama. I want you to go into the light and be in peace with Jesus. Promise you'll come visit me when you're in heaven. I love you." After hearing these words, Judy's breathing immediately calmed, and within one minute Kristen's precious mama breathed her last breath; a smile upon her face. Judy is now dancing and singing in heaven with Jesus and sharing her joyful spirit with all.

Brian, Kristen and Kristen's boyfriend Michael have all had special visits from Mama Judy since she went to heaven. We love you Mama Judy! You are forever with us!

The family would like to specially thank Judy's caregivers Teresa (Kristen's new little sis), Elvia, Kerry and Michael for their amazing care, friendship and support, and to Dr. Ravits and the team at Virginia Mason, Dr. Mazzeo, Family Resource Center and the Evergreen Hospice staff. Kristen and Brian and on behalf of their mom, Judy, would like to thank their dad, Erich, and stepmom, Shan, for their amazing care of their mom over the last year with medical appointments, daily care and friendship. You have healed our hearts.

Judy is survived by her loving children, Brian Christopher Tietze and Kristen Michelle Manning; Kristen's kitty Ally and boyfriend-in-law Michael Donovan; Kristen's friends and Judy's "adopted" daughters Joelle Adams and Krystle Meehan; as well as Judy's sister, Carol O'Loughlin and her husband Jim and children, Jim, Lauren, Michael and their families; and brother, Bob Sanford and his children, Wendy, Kim and Andrew and their families; and by her ex-husband/friend, Erich Tietze and his wife/friend Shandra.