Judith Wheeler

JUDITH WHEELER

Cedar Rapids

Judith Ann Wheeler was born July 7, 1935, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Raymond Howard and Hazel Anna (Ward) Jordan. She was the older sister to Gail Rae (Hollis) and Laurie Catherine (Linhart) and the darling of her grandfather, James Leslie Ward.

After graduating from Des Moines East High School, she married James Ralph Wheeler on May 1, 1954.

She leaves her husband; two children: daughter Leslie Gail (Anstedt) and son James Kent; and one granddaughter, Kerrith Wynne (Ireland) Wulf.

After moving around the Midwest during the early years of their marriage, they discovered and settled into their dream home in January 1965 on the southeast side of Cedar Rapids, where she lived until she died there Saturday, April 4, 2015.

A dark-haired beauty with great cheekbones and deep set brown eyes, she was an adventurer in life, always open to new people, ideas and experiences. From eloping with her husband, Jim, and accompanying him to his Army posting in Panama, to planning elaborate family road trips across the country, to creating a welcoming haven of a home, she had an irresistible zest for life.

She had a lifelong love of words, ideas and literature and filled her home with books and great conversation. She was a wonderful writer with a true editor's eye. She was an artist with a gift for creating beautiful things in any medium she put her hand to. She set an elegant table, whether for a grand party or a school-day lunch. She had an artist's vision for the beauty in things, often reclaiming and reimagining a new life for an old item. She loved music, blending the piano, her voice and the stereo to provide a score for daily life.

She was a gracious and welcoming hostess who delighted in creating an atmosphere where everyone was relaxed and able to share stories, ideas and laughter. She had an elegant grace whether dressed for the theater or digging in the garden. She took jobs that intrigued her, classes that enlightened her and collected friends that both supported and challenged her.

She doted on the many feline and canine members of the household. She was fascinated by history and spent many hours tracing her family genealogy, delighted by the unraveling of that puzzle and by the new family members that then became a part of her tribe.

She was a champion for those she loved, nurturing and encouraging their dreams. Her home was an extension of herself – warm, vibrant, eclectic. She made the world a beautiful, fascinating, amazing place with her unbridled joy and imagination and created memories that those who knew her will cherish and smile about for the rest of their days.

The family will hold a small private service, but promises that a large party will be held this summer where everyone can gather once more at the house she loved to share their stories and adventures.

If you'd like to make a donation in Judy's name, she'd be pleased to know that you helped support your local historical society or public library. She'd also love knowing that you paid tribute to her in your own life by sharing a book with someone, planting wildflowers, making a piece of art, adopting a pet, enjoying a lovely spring walk, and being a champion for those you love most.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.