Judith Elaine Sardeson

Judith Elaine Sardeson, age 78, passed away peacefully at her home in Blanchardville, Wisconsin on June 8, 2014. She was born August 16, 1935 in Monroe, Wisconsin, the eldest of ten children. Her parents were Leo Lester and Faye Inez Soper Gutzmer. The family moved from Wisconsin, to a ranch in Chadron, Nebraska in 1938, but returned to Monroe in 1949 where her parents owned a dairy farm until their retirement. Judy worked as a telephone operator in Monroe for a number of years. Some of her income was spent on toys for her brothers and sisters, and ice cream for the family. Income in later years was spent on bags and bags of bird seed. Most of her phone conversations were comments about the number of cardinals, finches, jays, and woodpeckers that frequented the feeders on her A-frame home overlooking the Pecatonica River?? Although she suffered from poor health, she improved the life of many others by devoting a lot of years working at the Meals On Wheels meal site in Blanchardville, occupying her "retirement" time. Her ability to manage that fast paced environment was amazing. She was a member of the Blanchardville Lutheran Church, where she taught Sunday School for many years Judy enjoyed weekly dances at Turner Hall, with energy to spare for bird watching, all kinds of flowers, sharing time with family and friends and laughing over old memories. She spent countless hours embroidering flowers, birds and other designs on hundreds of dish towels over the years. Countless more hours flew by as she crocheted doilies and afghans in every shape and color imaginable. Most of them were donated or given away. True to the family spirit, time in front of the television was spent watching old westerns. She collected salt and pepper shakers, loved country music and enjoyed road trips when she could get away. She was preceded in death by her parents, and brothers Jerold, Gregory and Roger. She is survived by two sons, Curtis (Fuquay Varina, NC) and Kevin Sardeson (Mt Horeb, WI), brothers Gary, (Kennewick, WA), Phillip, (Monticello, WI), Ronald (Hanford, CA) Dennis, (Monticello, WI) and sisters Marilyn Lien (McFarland, WI) and Shirley Zuhlke (Brodhead WI). Grandchildren Chase & Zoe (Fuquay Varina, NC) and Gaige and Drake (Mt. Horeb, WI). Visitation will be Friday, June 13, 2014, from 4-8 PM at the Saether Funeral Home, Blanchardville. Funeral services will be private.