Judy Etter Obituary
Judy Len (Valentine) Etter, of Leavenworth County, died the evening of Sunday, September 1, 2024, at F. W. Huston Senior Living Center in Winchester, KS, following a lengthy illness. She was 79.
She was born in Kansas City on December 10, 1944, the eldest daughter of Leonard D. and Helen Mary (Seward) Valentine. Named after Judy Garland, it was a short matter of time before she began her lifelong love of music. A member of the 1962 graduating class of Washington High School in Kansas City, KS, she went on to pursue her bachelor's and master's degrees from Emporia State Teachers College, finishing in 1967. She taught high school band in Inman, KS, for a few years, and the moved to Kansas City. While taking a computing class in the fall of 1970, she met Dale Etter, and they married on February 27, 1971. Soon after, she began a career that spanned 33 years in civilian service with the U.S. Military at Ft. Leavenworth, retiring on her 60th birthday in 2004. Along the way, she continued to pursue music as her primary recreational love, playing bassoon with the orchestra at St. Mary's College in Leavenworth and the St. Benedictine Orchestra in Atchison, directing and performing in the Leavenworth Community Band, directing the choir and playing the piano at Pilgrim United Church of Christ in Leavenworth, playing in a woodwind quintet, teaching oboe and bassoon to many students across the area, playing bassoon for many years in the Main Post Chapel's annual performance of Handel's "Messiah," and playing the organ at St. John's Lutheran Church in northern Leavenworth County before retiring several years ago due to declining health.
In 1980, her only son, Todd, was born, and he was her greatest joy. She spent long hours helping him develop his musical skills and accompanied him on many trips to various recitals and performances around the greater Kansas City area, and to fiddle contests across the country. She was an incredibly devoted mom, never missed a soccer game, and was never too busy to help with homework or to ensure that there was always nutritious food on the dinner table. A wonderful home cook, she made lavish dinners and desserts from memory and loved to bake bread and catch up with her friends and extended family on Saturdays.
In 2005, she was diagnosed with autoimmune disease, but she didn't let that slow her down. She volunteered for NARFE and was appointed as Kansas Area 1 Vice President and worked the polls on election day for many years. However, a dementia diagnosis several years ago forced her to lay down her baton. She continued to fight and face each day with unparalleled bravery before finally succumbing. She is now once again free to live her best life with all her friends and family that preceded her. Among those preceding her were her parents, parents-in-law, 3 sisters (Nancy Jean in 1946, Elizabeth Ann in 1984, and Nancy Helen in 2015), and beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins. Surviving her are her husband of 53 ½ years, Dale Etter, of the home; son Todd Etter (Steven Gilmore) of Overland Park, KS, sister Shirley Hunter, of Independence, Missouri, a host of wonderful cousins, nieces and nephews, and good friend of 50 years, Sandy Tomberlain, who brought much comfort to her in her final days. Additionally, she is survived by her beloved dog, Cody.
The family would like to thank everyone who visited her over the past few years, prayed for her, sent cards and letters, and those who helped with her care at home, particularly Julie Lieberman, Tammy Parrott, and Leavenworth County Council on Aging/Meals on Wheels. The family would also like to thank the Rehab nursing unit and the medication aides at the Senior Living Center at F. W. Huston Medical Center, and Jefferson County Home Health and Hospice, especially Judy Schwinn.
Her lifelong passion for music and the knowledge she shared will ensure a wonderful legacy of beauty in this world. She never met a stranger, and truly tried to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, always caring for her fellow human and going above and beyond in everything she did. She was an avid gardener, plant mom, and cross-stitcher, turning a house into a warm home with her array of personal touches. She also loved card games and was often a ruthless opponent. She had a knack for knowing what to play and when to play it, often before her opponents had a chance to even make sense of their hands. We lovingly dubbed this tactic "pulling a Judy.". She will be dearly missed but left so many wonderful memories and footprints to cherish.
Visitation will be on Friday, September 13, 2024, from 5:30p to 7:30p at the R.L. Leintz Funeral Home in Leavenworth. Funeral services will be at 11:00a on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at the funeral home, with Rev. Rick Twenhafel officiating. Burial will follow at St. John's Lutheran Cemetery (5 miles north of Easton, KS). A luncheon will follow the burial at the St. John's Lutheran Fellowship Hall. Mom absolutely adored flowers, so please feel free to wear your floral prints to the ceremony. She welcomed all, and we will do the same. And, while Mom loved flowers, the family would also welcome donations to either NARFE-Alzheimer's Research - Chapter 0621, or the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation in care of the funeral home.
