JUDY SMITH

Vibrance. Joy. Laughter. Active. Faith.  These are the words that describe the life that Judy lived.  

Judy was born to Llyod and Martha Gimlin on February 3, 1949, in Exeter, CA.  She had three older brothers, William (Butch), Jerry, and Richard Gimlin.  She lived most all of her life in Tulare, CA. 

In 1967 she graduated from Tulare Western High School.  That fall she was working at a restaurant near the Tulare airport, and this is where she met Byron Smith.  They were married within five months on April 12, 1968.  At the time of her new life as a married woman, she worked as a teacher’s aide at Palo Verde Elementary school.  When her first daughter, Wendy, was born in January of 1969, she ended her job to stay home with her daughter.  The following year she added her second daughter, Deanne, to the family in March of 1970. 

Once both her daughters were in elementary school, she started to work at Khon Elementary School as a teachers aid and later worked at Cherry Ave. Junior High as a migrate tutor.  She was loved by the staff and students.  Her love of photography started to bloom at this time.  She was an avid sewist and would use her creative talents to decorate bulletin boards for the classrooms she worked in.  Her love was generously given to all children who were in her life.

Judy started a position as the school secretary at Garden Elementary School in the fall of 1988.  She loved her job there and made friends with the staff who she loved to bring in lunches for and treat them to her baked goods.  Her life, wisdom, and loved touched the lives of countless school staff, children, and parents.   She rounded out her career and worked at Mission Valley Elementary School until her retirement in 2011.

At heart Judy loved people.  She was a devoted wife and mother at her core.  She was delighted in her time spent with her grandkids.  Hospitality was something that she loved to practice, and you could always get a glass of iced tea, or some treat to eat when you visited her home.  

In her retirement she loved to garden, take photographs, sew, and host book club in her backyard garden.  

She faithfully worshiped God in her church attendance, giving, and sharing her faith with many people that crossed her path.  She believed in Christ Jesus as her Saviour and loved to pray for others.  She showed her love for God in how she cared for her mother when she was in need, her faithfulness to her own family by all her labor and care for their needs, a friend who had many years fought cancer, helping care for a brother as he fought cancer and often bringing food to another brother who was single and lived alone.

The last decade of her life she had to face many challenges as she navigated life with a body that didn’t want to move as it should.  She dealt with each part of her illness with grace.  She said that on the inside she was kicking and screaming but she worked hard at trusting God with all things.  We are all amazed at how she remained joyful and kindhearted in the middle of her struggles.  She never gave up on her faith and trust in God and continued to share Jesus with others and pray for others right through to the end of her life. 

She hosted bible study in her home up until a few months before she passed.  How blessed she was to have her faithful friends come to her to share together in God’s word.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, brother William (Butch) Gimlin and Richard Gimlin, and nephew Michael Gimlin.  She is survived brother Jerry and (Sharon) Gimlin, by her husband Byron Smith, who faithfully was her caregiver for many years as she lived with limited mobility; her daughter Wendy Replogle, who was also a loving and kindhearted caregiver to her mother, son-in-law Gil Replogle and their children Johnathan (and Madison) Replogle, David Replogle and Amanda Replogle; her daughter Deanne Postma (who lives in Oregon), son-in-law Jeff Postma and their three children Devin Postma, Drew Postma, and Jake Postma. 

A public graveside will be held on Monday, November 2 at 10:30 AM at the Kern Cemetery in Tulare, CA.   There will be a Celebration of Life Reception following the graveside at The Gardens Venue (950 N “J” Street, Tulare) at 12:00PM following the service and all are welcome to attend.