Judith Rae Eftefield Murray, 72, our wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, at her home in Columbus.
Judy was born on Aug. 17, 1942, in Stephen, Minn. to Albert and Marie Eftefield. She was the sixth child of nine (ten years younger than the oldest and ten years older than the youngest).
She was raised on the family farm until she graduated from
Stephen High School in Stephen, Minn., in 1960. After graduation, Judy explored her options as a hairdresser and attended hairdressing school in Thief River Falls. She then moved to Boston, where she worked before returning to Minnesota in 1965 and enrolled at Moorhead State University. There she met her partner in life, John Murray, in German class in January 1965. They married in July of that same year.
Judy graduated with a degree in art education and a minor in history in 1968. After graduation Judy and John went west.
After living in Billings, Great Falls, Boise, and back to Billings, they made their home on Countryman Creek Ranch in Columbus, in 1973. Judy had passions for gardening, art, spirituality and nature and she needed all of them to survive and thrive on Countryman. While John was a travelling salesman for Fram Autolite and gone all week, Judy raised their three girls, Jill (1970), Jean (1972) and Janeece (1974) amid the elements of living in the mountains. Battling chimney fires, shooting at rattlesnakes and skunks, and dodging bears that were stalking the chicken coop were all in a day’s work. She also began a 20-year career at Beartooth Manor as the activities director, or wherever she was needed. She really enjoyed polka dancing with the residents and coming up with inspiring activities for them. In the mid 1980s she went back to college at Eastern Montana College and received her social sciences degree and became the juvenile probation officer for Stillwater County. She loved advocating for children and put her heart and soul into her work for over a decade.
Family and friends were important to Judy and she was always up for a snowmobiling/ sledding party (complete with her homemade chili) or a camping/fishing trip to Hebgen Lake. She was often the life of the party because she was slightly irreverent and always ready for a good laugh or joke. She relished her weekends away at her sister Doreen’s in Plymouth, Minn., for some R and R with her sisters. She loved having her sisters and relatives visit her and showed them the sights of Columbus, the mountains and shared the life she was so proud of. Judy avidly studied the Bible and enjoyed talking about it and her belief in God and His love and grace. She spent many Sunday mornings with John fishing and reveling in the glory of “Our Lady of Cooney”. Her green thumb earned her the title of president of the Garden Club in Columbus for many years and her gorgeous gardens in all of her homes showcased her talent and versatility with flora.
After she and John retired in 2000, they spent their summers as fishing buddies in North Dakota and Minnesota. She became a fabulous cook and embraced organic farm-to-table cooking years before it was fashionable. She had a passion for making sure GMOs were labeled and believed in clean food. Five years ago she was delighted to have two grandsons (she had almost given up hope), John Douglas and Max Jay that she loved dearly and that gave her so much joy. She spoke to her daughters at least once a week and was always there with encouragement or a good piece of parenting advice.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Marie.
She is survived by her husband, John; her three children, Jill (Chad) Ferris, Columbus; Jean, (Kass) Kinghorn, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Janeece (Douglas) Cornejo, Springfield, Oreg.; her two grandsons, Max Jay and John Douglas. She is also survived by all of her siblings: Joyce Sather, Oslo, Minn.; Marlys Kelley (Jim), Nantucket, Mass.; Larry (Juanita), Edelstein, Ill.; Wallace, Iron, Minn.; Yvonne Coder, Lawton, MI/Mission, Texas; Lynn Morson, St. Paul, Minn.; Gordon (Rose), Minneapolis, Minn.; and Doreen Arlandson (Robert), Plymouth, Minn., and 38 nieces and nephews. On John’s side she was preceded in death by her in-laws, Marian and John Murray, sister-in-law, Marilyn Phillips, and niece, Sarah Moore Dobbs. She is survived by John’s sister’s Jacolyn Knox (Carl), Hampton, Minn.; and Belle Moore (Lynn), Billings, and nine nieces and nephews.
A public viewing will be held at Smith Chapel in Columbus, on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration of her life and open house will be held at her home in Columbus that same afternoon from noon to 5 p.m.
Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.
Remembrances may be shared online on her Facebook page.
Oh yeah, and she LOVED to win at Scrabble.
Judy was born on Aug. 17, 1942, in Stephen, Minn. to Albert and Marie Eftefield. She was the sixth child of nine (ten years younger than the oldest and ten years older than the youngest).
She was raised on the family farm until she graduated from
Stephen High School in Stephen, Minn., in 1960. After graduation, Judy explored her options as a hairdresser and attended hairdressing school in Thief River Falls. She then moved to Boston, where she worked before returning to Minnesota in 1965 and enrolled at Moorhead State University. There she met her partner in life, John Murray, in German class in January 1965. They married in July of that same year.
Judy graduated with a degree in art education and a minor in history in 1968. After graduation Judy and John went west.
After living in Billings, Great Falls, Boise, and back to Billings, they made their home on Countryman Creek Ranch in Columbus, in 1973. Judy had passions for gardening, art, spirituality and nature and she needed all of them to survive and thrive on Countryman. While John was a travelling salesman for Fram Autolite and gone all week, Judy raised their three girls, Jill (1970), Jean (1972) and Janeece (1974) amid the elements of living in the mountains. Battling chimney fires, shooting at rattlesnakes and skunks, and dodging bears that were stalking the chicken coop were all in a day’s work. She also began a 20-year career at Beartooth Manor as the activities director, or wherever she was needed. She really enjoyed polka dancing with the residents and coming up with inspiring activities for them. In the mid 1980s she went back to college at Eastern Montana College and received her social sciences degree and became the juvenile probation officer for Stillwater County. She loved advocating for children and put her heart and soul into her work for over a decade.
Family and friends were important to Judy and she was always up for a snowmobiling/ sledding party (complete with her homemade chili) or a camping/fishing trip to Hebgen Lake. She was often the life of the party because she was slightly irreverent and always ready for a good laugh or joke. She relished her weekends away at her sister Doreen’s in Plymouth, Minn., for some R and R with her sisters. She loved having her sisters and relatives visit her and showed them the sights of Columbus, the mountains and shared the life she was so proud of. Judy avidly studied the Bible and enjoyed talking about it and her belief in God and His love and grace. She spent many Sunday mornings with John fishing and reveling in the glory of “Our Lady of Cooney”. Her green thumb earned her the title of president of the Garden Club in Columbus for many years and her gorgeous gardens in all of her homes showcased her talent and versatility with flora.
After she and John retired in 2000, they spent their summers as fishing buddies in North Dakota and Minnesota. She became a fabulous cook and embraced organic farm-to-table cooking years before it was fashionable. She had a passion for making sure GMOs were labeled and believed in clean food. Five years ago she was delighted to have two grandsons (she had almost given up hope), John Douglas and Max Jay that she loved dearly and that gave her so much joy. She spoke to her daughters at least once a week and was always there with encouragement or a good piece of parenting advice.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Marie.
She is survived by her husband, John; her three children, Jill (Chad) Ferris, Columbus; Jean, (Kass) Kinghorn, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Janeece (Douglas) Cornejo, Springfield, Oreg.; her two grandsons, Max Jay and John Douglas. She is also survived by all of her siblings: Joyce Sather, Oslo, Minn.; Marlys Kelley (Jim), Nantucket, Mass.; Larry (Juanita), Edelstein, Ill.; Wallace, Iron, Minn.; Yvonne Coder, Lawton, MI/Mission, Texas; Lynn Morson, St. Paul, Minn.; Gordon (Rose), Minneapolis, Minn.; and Doreen Arlandson (Robert), Plymouth, Minn., and 38 nieces and nephews. On John’s side she was preceded in death by her in-laws, Marian and John Murray, sister-in-law, Marilyn Phillips, and niece, Sarah Moore Dobbs. She is survived by John’s sister’s Jacolyn Knox (Carl), Hampton, Minn.; and Belle Moore (Lynn), Billings, and nine nieces and nephews.
A public viewing will be held at Smith Chapel in Columbus, on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration of her life and open house will be held at her home in Columbus that same afternoon from noon to 5 p.m.
Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.
Remembrances may be shared online on her Facebook page.
Oh yeah, and she LOVED to win at Scrabble.
Judith Rae Eftefield Murray, 72, our wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, at her home in Columbus.
Judy was born on Aug. 17, 1942, in Stephen, Minn. to Albert and Marie Eftefield. She was the sixth child of nine (ten years younger than the oldest and ten years older than the youngest).
She was raised on the family farm until she graduated from
Stephen High School in Stephen, Minn., in 1960. After graduation, Judy explored her options as a hairdresser and attended hairdressing school in Thief River Falls. She then moved to Boston, where she worked before returning to Minnesota in 1965 and enrolled at Moorhead State University. There she met her partner in life, John Murray, in German class in January 1965. They married in July of that same year.
Judy graduated with a degree in art education and a minor in history in 1968. After graduation Judy and John went west.
After living in Billings, Great Falls, Boise, and back to Billings, they made their home on Countryman Creek Ranch in Columbus, in 1973. Judy had passions for gardening, art, spirituality and nature and she needed all of them to survive and thrive on Countryman. While John was a travelling salesman for Fram Autolite and gone all week, Judy raised their three girls, Jill (1970), Jean (1972) and Janeece (1974) amid the elements of living in the mountains. Battling chimney fires, shooting at rattlesnakes and skunks, and dodging bears that were stalking the chicken coop were all in a day’s work. She also began a 20-year career at Beartooth Manor as the activities director, or wherever she was needed. She really enjoyed polka dancing with the residents and coming up with inspiring activities for them. In the mid 1980s she went back to college at Eastern Montana College and received her social sciences degree and became the juvenile probation officer for Stillwater County. She loved advocating for children and put her heart and soul into her work for over a decade.
Family and friends were important to Judy and she was always up for a snowmobiling/ sledding party (complete with her homemade chili) or a camping/fishing trip to Hebgen Lake. She was often the life of the party because she was slightly irreverent and always ready for a good laugh or joke. She relished her weekends away at her sister Doreen’s in Plymouth, Minn., for some R and R with her sisters. She loved having her sisters and relatives visit her and showed them the sights of Columbus, the mountains and shared the life she was so proud of. Judy avidly studied the Bible and enjoyed talking about it and her belief in God and His love and grace. She spent many Sunday mornings with John fishing and reveling in the glory of “Our Lady of Cooney”. Her green thumb earned her the title of president of the Garden Club in Columbus for many years and her gorgeous gardens in all of her homes showcased her talent and versatility with flora.
After she and John retired in 2000, they spent their summers as fishing buddies in North Dakota and Minnesota. She became a fabulous cook and embraced organic farm-to-table cooking years before it was fashionable. She had a passion for making sure GMOs were labeled and believed in clean food. Five years ago she was delighted to have two grandsons (she had almost given up hope), John Douglas and Max Jay that she loved dearly and that gave her so much joy. She spoke to her daughters at least once a week and was always there with encouragement or a good piece of parenting advice.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Marie.
She is survived by her husband, John; her three children, Jill (Chad) Ferris, Columbus; Jean, (Kass) Kinghorn, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Janeece (Douglas) Cornejo, Springfield, Oreg.; her two grandsons, Max Jay and John Douglas. She is also survived by all of her siblings: Joyce Sather, Oslo, Minn.; Marlys Kelley (Jim), Nantucket, Mass.; Larry (Juanita), Edelstein, Ill.; Wallace, Iron, Minn.; Yvonne Coder, Lawton, MI/Mission, Texas; Lynn Morson, St. Paul, Minn.; Gordon (Rose), Minneapolis, Minn.; and Doreen Arlandson (Robert), Plymouth, Minn., and 38 nieces and nephews. On John’s side she was preceded in death by her in-laws, Marian and John Murray, sister-in-law, Marilyn Phillips, and niece, Sarah Moore Dobbs. She is survived by John’s sister’s Jacolyn Knox (Carl), Hampton, Minn.; and Belle Moore (Lynn), Billings, and nine nieces and nephews.
A public viewing will be held at Smith Chapel in Columbus, on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration of her life and open house will be held at her home in Columbus that same afternoon from noon to 5 p.m.
Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.
Remembrances may be shared online on her Facebook page.
Oh yeah, and she LOVED to win at Scrabble.
Judy was born on Aug. 17, 1942, in Stephen, Minn. to Albert and Marie Eftefield. She was the sixth child of nine (ten years younger than the oldest and ten years older than the youngest).
She was raised on the family farm until she graduated from
Stephen High School in Stephen, Minn., in 1960. After graduation, Judy explored her options as a hairdresser and attended hairdressing school in Thief River Falls. She then moved to Boston, where she worked before returning to Minnesota in 1965 and enrolled at Moorhead State University. There she met her partner in life, John Murray, in German class in January 1965. They married in July of that same year.
Judy graduated with a degree in art education and a minor in history in 1968. After graduation Judy and John went west.
After living in Billings, Great Falls, Boise, and back to Billings, they made their home on Countryman Creek Ranch in Columbus, in 1973. Judy had passions for gardening, art, spirituality and nature and she needed all of them to survive and thrive on Countryman. While John was a travelling salesman for Fram Autolite and gone all week, Judy raised their three girls, Jill (1970), Jean (1972) and Janeece (1974) amid the elements of living in the mountains. Battling chimney fires, shooting at rattlesnakes and skunks, and dodging bears that were stalking the chicken coop were all in a day’s work. She also began a 20-year career at Beartooth Manor as the activities director, or wherever she was needed. She really enjoyed polka dancing with the residents and coming up with inspiring activities for them. In the mid 1980s she went back to college at Eastern Montana College and received her social sciences degree and became the juvenile probation officer for Stillwater County. She loved advocating for children and put her heart and soul into her work for over a decade.
Family and friends were important to Judy and she was always up for a snowmobiling/ sledding party (complete with her homemade chili) or a camping/fishing trip to Hebgen Lake. She was often the life of the party because she was slightly irreverent and always ready for a good laugh or joke. She relished her weekends away at her sister Doreen’s in Plymouth, Minn., for some R and R with her sisters. She loved having her sisters and relatives visit her and showed them the sights of Columbus, the mountains and shared the life she was so proud of. Judy avidly studied the Bible and enjoyed talking about it and her belief in God and His love and grace. She spent many Sunday mornings with John fishing and reveling in the glory of “Our Lady of Cooney”. Her green thumb earned her the title of president of the Garden Club in Columbus for many years and her gorgeous gardens in all of her homes showcased her talent and versatility with flora.
After she and John retired in 2000, they spent their summers as fishing buddies in North Dakota and Minnesota. She became a fabulous cook and embraced organic farm-to-table cooking years before it was fashionable. She had a passion for making sure GMOs were labeled and believed in clean food. Five years ago she was delighted to have two grandsons (she had almost given up hope), John Douglas and Max Jay that she loved dearly and that gave her so much joy. She spoke to her daughters at least once a week and was always there with encouragement or a good piece of parenting advice.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Marie.
She is survived by her husband, John; her three children, Jill (Chad) Ferris, Columbus; Jean, (Kass) Kinghorn, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; Janeece (Douglas) Cornejo, Springfield, Oreg.; her two grandsons, Max Jay and John Douglas. She is also survived by all of her siblings: Joyce Sather, Oslo, Minn.; Marlys Kelley (Jim), Nantucket, Mass.; Larry (Juanita), Edelstein, Ill.; Wallace, Iron, Minn.; Yvonne Coder, Lawton, MI/Mission, Texas; Lynn Morson, St. Paul, Minn.; Gordon (Rose), Minneapolis, Minn.; and Doreen Arlandson (Robert), Plymouth, Minn., and 38 nieces and nephews. On John’s side she was preceded in death by her in-laws, Marian and John Murray, sister-in-law, Marilyn Phillips, and niece, Sarah Moore Dobbs. She is survived by John’s sister’s Jacolyn Knox (Carl), Hampton, Minn.; and Belle Moore (Lynn), Billings, and nine nieces and nephews.
A public viewing will be held at Smith Chapel in Columbus, on Thursday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. A celebration of her life and open house will be held at her home in Columbus that same afternoon from noon to 5 p.m.
Memorials may be given to Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of your choice.
Remembrances may be shared online on her Facebook page.
Oh yeah, and she LOVED to win at Scrabble.
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