Judy Warner

With unending love for her family and and friends, Judith “Judy” Warner lived a life of purpose each and every day. She was so sweet, loving, and accepting of everyone she met. Judy treasured her roles as a wife and mother, but she just might have argued that nothing was better than becoming a grandmother and great-grandmother later in life. With a zest for life that was contagious to all who were near, she drew others near with ease. Deeply loved, Judy will be forever missed.

During the first half of the 1940s, the eyes of our nation were focused overseas as countless young men and women were deeply entrenched in WWII. Those who remained stateside became all too familiar with rationing on common goods, and families eagerly awaited for news from the front lines. Amidst this eventful time was a time filled with great celebration for Wilbert and Matilda (Homrich) Weber as they were eagerly awaiting the birth of their new baby as August dawned in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1942. Their wait was over on August 10th when the baby girl they named Judith Lynn made her arrival. Raised in the family home in North Dorr, she was the older of two children as she was joined in her family by her brother, Rollan. Judy’s parents were both hardworking farmers, and she could often be found out helping her father. These were the days when farming was often done with horses, and Judy became skilled at driving the horses as a result. She also took care of plenty of hay and also regularly picked up stones. When Judy was about 14, their family moved to Wayland. A student at local schools, she graduated from Wayland High School in 1961.

New and exciting changes were in store for Judy when she met the man who would forever hold the key to her heart. His name was George Warner, and they met in either 1959 or 1960 at the Wayland Carnival. Judy was impressed by his brother's 1954 Mercury, and since she liked the car George figured he would take the car the second night, too. They began dating and soon found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to spend the rest of their lives together Judy and George were married on June 17, 1961.Together they welcomed four children including Renee, Ken, Ron, and Robin into their hearts and home. Judy worked hard alongside her husband who was a farmer, and for 33 years they farmed dairy cows. In addition to working hard alongside her husband, Judy also kept things running smoothly in the home. She was an amazing cook, especially when it came to her roast beef, however, George loved everything she made. Judy did have a rule that everyone knew - if you didn’t want to know what type of meat it was, don’t ask! As her children grew and had families of their own, Judy was filled with unspeakable joy to become a grandmother. Everyone always loved coming to her house for Christmas, and she always made sure it was a special time. Judy also made huge meals for the neighbors when they all worked together filling the silos.

Although much of her time was spent working hard, Judy did enjoy some downtime, too. She loved to shop, and according to her daughter, Renee, she always had her nose buried in a catalog. Judy didn’t travel much, but she did like to head to the U.P. and also to Shipshewana

Sweet, loving, and hardworking are just a few of the words that describe Judith Warner, but perhaps the word that paints the most accurate picture of such an extraordinary woman is the word selfless. She was the sort of person who would do anything for anyone, and her devotion to her family and friends was easy to see. Judy was never one to worry about things, rather, she just faced whatever came her way with both grace and strength. Life will never be the same without Judy here, but she leaves behind a brilliantly colored mosaic of memories that her loved ones will forever cherish.

Judith Lynn Warner, of Shelbyville, passed away on Friday, February 2, 2018. Judy’s family includes her husband of 56 years, George; two children: Renee (Norman) Catt, of Grand Junction; Ken Warner, of Shelbyville; five grandchildren: Holly Lynema, of Wayland; Mike (Sabrina) Cade, of Portage; Ron (Kimberly) Cade, of Grand Rapids; Ronna (Nate) Zeluff, of Allegan; Taylor LaPointe, of Ontario; four great-grandchildren: Nathan, Andrew, Joshua and Hayden. Judy was preceded in death by two children: Ron Warner in 1987 and Robin Warner in 2002; parents, Wilbert and Matilda Weber; and one brother, Rollan Weber. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, from 4-7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, 120 S. Woodhams, Plainwell, MI (269-685-5881). A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11a.m. at the funeral home, with Pastor Sean Kidd officiating. Burial will be at the East Martin Cemetery. Please visit Judy’s webpage at www.lifestorynet.com where you can sign the guestbook and share a memory. Those who wish may make contributions to Faith Hospice.