Judith JoAnne Coady

A beloved mother and grandmother, Judith JoAnne Coady, (Judy) passed from this life into the next on July 25, 2023, at the age of 92, in Salida, Colorado. She was an extraordinarily resilient, intelligent, talented, kind and gentle soul. Her strength carried us through.

Judy was born on May 12, 1931, to Vivian and Robert Childs, in Kokomo, Indiana. When Judy was young, she loved to sing, dance, and perform on stage, and over live radio, with her brother and best friend Jack Childs. She came of age in the Big Band era and loved dancing the night away - dressed “to the nines” in elegant evening gowns - to the music of Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller. She enjoyed many genres of music during her life and played the piano beautifully. Her prized baby grand piano was an ever-present fixture in her home.

A stunning, classic beauty, Judy always dressed stylishly and applied makeup every morning, yet she loved to go barefoot and bra-less whenever possible. She enjoyed a short modeling career including an iconic, black and white photo shoot in New York City.

In 1957, Judy married David Lee Coady. They moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, in 1960, when David was hired as a technical writer for Motorola. Judy tragically lost the love of her life in 1966. Against all odds she single-handedly managed to run herd on their four children and was often praised for raising “some damn good peeps”.

Judy worked for the Scottsdale Unified School District and retired with accolades after 20 plus years of devoted service. She was a quintessential “desert rat”. She loved to bask in the hot sun and lived in the Arizona desert for over 30 years before later moving to Colorado in 1998 to be near her grown children where they relocated. She lived in Gunnison for 15 years, and then spent her last six years in Salida.

As an accomplished oil painter, Judy produced many works of art, from seascapes to Native American dancers and desert landscapes. She was an exemplary seamstress and often sewed her own designer-worthy clothes as well as matching dresses and even tiny Barbie doll ensembles for her daughters and pajamas for her sons. She was an excellent cook and celebrated her children’s birthdays with specially decorated homemade red velvet cakes. Christmas was a time to pull out all the stops and Judy made it magical.

Libraries and books were one of Judy’s greatest passions. She instilled the love of reading in her children and often gave books as gifts. She held a special affinity for classic literature, poetry, legal thrillers and romance novels. She enjoyed watching classic movies, growing roses, sipping black coffee, and watching the world go by.

Judy had a wry sense of humor, and you might miss it if you weren’t paying attention. Occasionally something would strike her as incredibly humorous, and she would laugh contagiously until tears were running down her face.

Judy lived a quiet life with deep love for her family and she will be deeply missed. She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Childs; mother, Vivian Childs Getz; brothers, Richard Childs (Dicky) and Jack Childs; husband, David Coady; nephew, Jason Childs; Aunt and Uncle, Geneva and Gerald Fleenor, and great nephew Devon Fleenor. She is survived by her four children, Teresa Pfaff (Kerry Pfaff), Jennifer Coady, Jonathan Coady (Heidi Coady), Christopher Coady (Briony Coady); her six grandchildren, Joel Otter, Benjamin Otter, David Otter, Jeremiah Otter, Asher Coady and Ava Coady; her six great grandchildren, Kelton Otter, Joby Otter, Dominic Otter, Elijah Otter, Aleea Otter and Phinley Otter; nieces Lisa and Julie Childs and their families; cousins Sheri Sebring, Roger Fleenor (Jaci Fleenor) and their families. A Celebration of Life gathering for family and friends will be held at a later date.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at lewisandglenn.com. Arrangements are with Lewis and Glenn Funeral Home.

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