Judith Rose Dempsey

Judith Rose Dempsey, a devoted wife, beloved mother and grandmother, and an accomplished educator that taught a generation of students at Jefferson County’s Devinny Elementary over several decades, passed away on March 27, 2019, at the age of 80.

Judy was born in 1938 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Dr. Hugh Enyart (a dentist) and Martha Enyart (an educator). She graduated from Arsenal Technical (“Tech”) High School and earned an undergraduate degree in 1960 from Butler University where she was a member of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. Judy later earned a master’s degree in education from Lesley University and other certifications relating to talented and gifted education.

Judy’s partner in life was her Indiana high school sweetheart, Howard Stanley Dempsey. Although Stan was lured west to attend college in Colorado, Judy and Stan maintained their relationship and married the summer following their graduations. They married on August 20, 1960, on the campus of Butler University. Judy and Stan enjoyed a beautiful 59-year marriage. Together, Judy and Stan built a life of adventure, family, world travel, and accomplished careers.

Following their wedding ceremony, with rice still in their hair and a spirit for adventure, Judy and Stan drove to Chicago where they boarded Amtrak’s California Zephyr to travel to Colorado to make their first home in Frisco, Colorado (population 316). This was before Interstate 70 or the Eisenhower/Johnson Tunnels had been constructed. Judy and Stan commuted from Frisco to Climax until December 1960, then moved to Climax (elevation 11,360) which was the highest human settlement in the United States and holds the record for having the highest railroad station and the country's second highest Post Office. While Stan worked at the Climax mine, Judy launched her 47-year teaching career teaching the children of Climax employees amidst the distractions arising from extreme conditions of high altitude living and the occasional dynamite blasts in a nearby mine ore crusher.

From 1961 to 1964, Judy continued her teaching career in Adams County, Colorado, teaching while Stan attended law school. Judy and Stan became parents in 1964 with the birth of Stan Jr. In 1964, Judy, Stan, and Stan Jr. moved to Leadville where, from 1964 to 1969, Judy and Stan continued their careers in teaching and mining and welcomed their second son, Whitney, in 1968. Judy taught at both Westpark Elementary and Pitts Elementary Schools in Leadville. In 1969, Stan and Judy moved their growing family to a newly constructed home in Applewood, a suburb in Lakewood west of Denver. Judy and Stan welcomed their third and fourth sons, Brad and Matthew, in 1972 and 1978. From 1969 forward, Judy, like other mothers in the Applewood neighborhood, was the successful Chief Operating Officer of the Dempsey’s Applewood home, managing four boys, her teaching career, and her church and other activities, all while simultaneously supporting Stan’s career as a mining industry executive who was required to frequently travel around the world. Judy is the mother of four Eagle Scouts (she required the accomplishment as a condition of driving).

When Stan’s career required the young family to move around the world to Australia for nearly three years between 1981 and 1983, Judy accepted the challenge with the same spirit of adventure as her initial move to Colorado. She managed the family’s complex move and resolved countless individual issues that her four sons encountered during the period, from enrolling the kids in school and outfitting each in the school’s strict uniforms, to signing the kids up for local but unfamiliar sports like cricket and field hockey (and attending matches and pretending to understand and like such sports), to courageously disposing of many of Australia’s exotic spiders and other insects frequently encountered. When it was time to return to our home in Applewood, Judy managed the return move and the transition back to school, sports, and activities for each of her sons. In addition to Australia, Judy accompanied Stan to destinations around the world, visiting Greece, Japan, Singapore, Prague, Russia, Mexico City, Hong Kong among other locations.

Many know Judy as an accomplished and creative educator who became a teaching institution during her 35 years teaching at Devinny Elementary in Lakewood, teaching first and second grades and building the talented gifted program. Judy loved teaching young students and inspiring their learning through humor and fun events such as cooking up green eggs and ham when reading the Dr. Seuss book featuring the odd meal. Also well known by her students and teaching colleagues for her love of Clifford the Big Red Dog book series, Judy corresponded with Clifford’s creator, Norman Birdwell, and once visited Birdwell’s home on Martha’s Vineyard.

Judy was a devoted and active member of the many communities to which she belonged. She attended Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church for over three decades and served as a deacon and a Stephen Minister. She was also active in Reach for Recovery following her own battle with breast cancer. Judy was an active member of her P.E.O. group (Philanthropic Educational Organization), dedicated to promoting educational opportunities for women and was organizing activities for this group up to the day before she passed away. Judy was also a member of The Club at Rolling Hills in Golden for fifty years where many family memories were made at the swimming pool, under the 4th of July fireworks, and many family get-togethers at the clubhouse.

Judy was a devoted wife to Stan and a proud mother of her four sons, but she found great joy later in life with the much-welcomed addition of daughters-in-law and grandchildren to the family. She is survived by her husband Stan Sr., and son Stan, Jr. (Curtis and Travis), son Whitney and Amy (Abby, Emma, and Andrew), son Brad and Nancy (Camden and Margaux) and son Matthew and Rachel (June, Pearl, and Charlotte). A yearly highlight for Judy over the past decade was the family’s annual summer visits to the 4UR Ranch near Creede, Colorado where she could spend time with her entire family.

Services for Judy will be held the weekend of April 6 and 7. A visitation will be held April 6, 2019, from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Olinger’s (7777 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge). Judy’s funeral service will take place April 7, 2019, at 2:00 pm, at Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church (11500 W. 20th Ave., Lakewood). A reception will follow.

For those unable to attend in person, the funeral service will be available to watch on-line live or on-demand at https://livestream.com/LoclyzMedia/DempseyMemorial

Donations can be made in Judy’s honor to:

Devinny Elementary School 1725 S. Wright St., Lakewood CO 80228