Judy Katherine Thomas

Judy Katherine Thomas, age 57, of La Grande, died Friday, December 5, 2003 at her home following a short illness. A celebration of her life will be held on December 11th, 2003 at 2:00 PM at the Union High School Gym. Committal and interment will follow at the Island City Cemetery with a reception at The Place also in Island City.

Judy was born on February 5th, 1946 in Wichita, Kansas to Jack Bitting Thomas and Katherine Fergus Thomas. Following the death of her father in 1953 , her family moved to La Grande and she graduated from La Grande High School in 1964. She received her first degree in recreation from Oregon State University and worked for a short time at Maplelane School for Girls in Centralia, Washington. She returned to Oregon State and earned a second degree in education and in 1971 she began teaching 3rd grade at Union's Hutchison Grade School and remained there until her retirement in 2001.

Once she was introduced as a La Grande Teacher , because she lived in La Grande , and defiantly replied " I'm a Union Teacher". She was very proud of where she taught. In 1989 she was the first recipient of the American Electronics Association Elementary Mathematics Teacher of The Year award. While she felt very honored and proud of the award, she was happier for the money it generated for the students of her school district. Judy and her students were very active in raising money to buy books for such programs as the Toys For Tots, the Shelter From the Storm and Head Start. She started the swim program for Union 3rd graders because she believed "no student should graduate from Union without knowing how to swim".

Upon her retirement, she took up golf and joined the La Grande Country Club and became an avid golfer. In addition to her busy schedule, she still found time to sew and sell her sweat shirts, paper bags, scented vases and rocky road at craft shows.

Traveling was her next love and although she visited the Caribbean, Kosivoa and many places in Europe, her favorite place was still Washington D.C.

Judy was preceded in death by her step-father, Gerald Willis Moss in 1977 and her mother Katherine Thomas Moss in 1995. She is survived by her brother Thomas Morgan Thomas II and his wife Pam, Portland, cousin Patty Monroe of Tulsa, Oklahoma, cousin, Nancy Land, Scottsdale, AZ, ,"Duchess" the dog from hell and many, many longtime friends.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish to make contributions may do so to the Union Bobcat Fund (for the Judy Thomas Scholarship which she started many years ago); St. Mary's Cancer Center of Walla Walla or the Cystic Fibrosis Association in care of Daniels Chapel of the Valley, 1502 7th Street, La Grande, Oregon 97850