Judith Lucille Shepherd

Judy was joyfully welcomed home by Jesus on Saturday, June 14, at the age of 80. She was born in Mt. Lake, MN, and grew up in tiny Odin - a blink-and-you'll-miss-it town. After graduating from Butterfield High School (where she was voted "Prettiest Smile"), Judy went on to study nursing and eventually worked at Union Hospital in New Ulm and Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina. Looking for a change of pace, she took a job as a secretary at Universal Hospital Services, where she ended up dating her boss - the Director of Sales and Marketing, Richard D. Shepherd. (Don't worry, it wasn't as scandalous as it sounds!) Judy and Richard were married in her hometown on October 23, 1971. With the marriage came four wonderful stepchildren - Stephen, Mark, Luanne, and Paul - and Judy fully embraced them. She then added two more sons of her own: Jason (her favorite) in 1972, and Aaron in 1974. They made their home in Brooklyn Center and rededicated their lives to the Lord early in their marriage after attending a Christian conference. While Richard worked in sales and later as a bus driver for MTC, Judy thrived as a stay-at-home mom, pouring love and care into their busy household. After Richard passed away in 1997 and the kids had grown up, Judy returned to Odin, and later St. James, to help care for her mom, June. She spent the next 20 years actively involved in her church communities - St. James Assemblies of God and Hosanna Free Lutheran - and found purpose in visiting the sick and elderly, encouraging shut-ins, and supporting anyone who felt overlooked or forgotten. In 2016, after her mother passed and having weathered the craziness of COVID (including a rough case herself in late 2020), Judy made the move to Plymouth to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law. She settled into a cozy home at Gramercy Park Cooperative and continued to live life fully. Even after discovering a small spot on her lung (in 2020), she trusted God with her health, pursuing alternative care and leaning on her faith. At the age of 77, Judy enrolled in Charis Bible College. She spent two joyful years diving deeper into God's Word, connecting with new friends, and living her faith with boldness. Judy loved people deeply. She had a gift for listening, encouraging, and pointing others toward Jesus. If she could say one thing now, it might be: "Thank you for being part of my journey - and I hope to see you in heaven (just say yes to Jesus - and really, why wouldn't you?)." Though she didn't receive the physical healing she hoped for, she received something even better - wholeness, peace, and the eternal joy of being with her Savior. "We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying. We are in the land of the dying going to the land of the living." - Larry Moody Judy is survived by her siblings Sanford Lee Hansen, Sharon Lucille (Stan) Hansen, and Thomas Lee (Sherry) Hansen; her sons Jason (Jamie) Shepherd and Aaron (Jen) Shepherd; and her stepchildren Stephen (Sue) Shepherd, Mark (Toni) Shepherd, Luanne (the late Rick) Stradley, and Paul (Cathy) Shepherd. She leaves behind many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and step-grandchildren who brought her great joy - including Tyler, Natasha, Maren, Thomas, Haäkin, Shawn, Jessica, Amanda, Morgan, Adi, Hamilton, Ella and Ryleigh. She was preceded in death by her husband, Richard; her parents, Lawren and June; and her brother, David Lee. An open-casket visitation will be held on Thursday, June 19, at Washburn-McReavy Robbinsdale Chapel from 12:00-12:45 p.m. Judy's "I'm Home With Jesus" celebration gathering will follow at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel. Feel free to wear your favorite thrift store find and bring a story to share - just like Judy would've wanted. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to: · Crossroads Church (St. James, MN) · Hosanna Free Lutheran Church (St. James, MN) · Valiant Ministries International (New Hope, MN) The family would like to thank her caregivers at Allina Hospice, especially her nurses; Deb Leverentz (Jen's mother); and all those who showered her with support and love in her last days.

Tributes

Judith Lucille Shepherd

February 6, 1945 - June 14, 2025

Tributes

Judith Lucille Shepherd

February 6, 1945 - June 14, 2025

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