BOONE, Iowa—Judith Lorraine (Elsberry) Hand, 78, of Boone, passed away on Sunday, December 15, 2024, at the Eastern Star Masonic Home in Boone.
Judy was born March 20, 1946 to Bert and Armintha (Harrigan) Elsberry. She met the love of her life, Jerry Lavern Hand, and they were joined in marriage on June 26, 1966. The first adventure they went on was to Niagara Falls, for their honeymoon, and Jerry flew them there in a plane he had rented. They were blessed to adopt a baby girl in 1972 and Judy spent the next seven years being a fulltime mom.
After working a short time at ISU, in the printing department, she became a secretary at United Schools. Judy was promoted to the business manager at United, for the remainder of her career.
Judy was an avid reader and enjoyed many things in her life, bowling, dancing, camping, fishing, quilting, and traveling with Jerry, after they both retired. You could find them camping at the Ledges in the summer and migrating to Arizona for the winter. She was extremely brilliant and a very talented quilter. Judy’s whole purpose in life changed in 2005, when she became a grandma for the first time.
She was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Lavern (Abbie) Hand; grandson, Derek; nephew, Terry Kendall; good friend, Barb (Gutteridge) Bowes; several aunts, uncles and cousins.
Judy is survived by her husband of 58 ½ years, Jerry Hand; daughter, Audra (Dwayne) Lipscomb; grandchildren, Chloe, Kiana, and Talia; sister, Sharon Engel; brother, Mike (Cindy) Elsberry; sister-in-law, Sue (Larry) Stolte; good friends, Karen, Sandy, and Jacque; three nephews; three nieces; several cousins; and her four-legged companion, Benji.
Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel, 1006 6th Street, in Boone. A funeral service will be 10:30 A.M., Thursday, December 19, 2024, at the Garden Prairie Congregational UCC, 2051 290th Street, Madrid. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery, east of Luther.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Online condolences may be left to Judy’s family at www.schroederememorialchapel.com
Judith Hand, 78, Boone, Iowa
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