(SBA) - It is with great sadness that the family of Judith Gay (Bundy) Graber announces that Judy passed away on Saturday, April 13th, 2024, at the age of 83, surrounded by her family. The funeral will be held at the Sergeant Bluff United Methodist Church on Thursday, April 18th, at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from 10:30-11:00 a.m. at the church. Burial will be in McCook Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Waterbury Funeral Service of Sergeant Bluff.
Judy was born to Mark and Lois Bundy in Gillette, Wyoming on December 23rd, 1940. She was welcomed by her three siblings, Marion, Arlene, and Louise. She attended Campbell County High School, where she was voted the first woman student body president. Judy attended St. John McNamara School of Nursing in Rapid City, South Dakota after graduation.
Judy continued her education at St. Joseph School of Nursing in Sioux City. Later as part of her clinical training at Yankton State Hospital, Judy met and fell in love with Morris Graber, a handsome, young orderly, who also worked there. The couple was married in August of 1962, and their oldest daughter Kelly was born in 1963. Judy graduated later that year and was hired by St. Joseph Hospital. The couple’s second child, Jeff, was born in 1965. Morey and Judy moved out to their farm in Luton, Iowa, where Mark was born in 1970, and Jennifer was born in 1972. Judy was an active member of her community. She attended the United Methodist Church, where she sang in the choir, was active in women’s circles, and was on the church board when the new church was built. Judy also served on the Sergeant Bluff-Luton school board at the time the current high school was built. In so many areas of her life, Judy naturally rose to the position of leadership. When asked why she was a good leader, Judy said, “Because I have a good head on my shoulders, and I respect that people may have a different opinion than mine, and that’s o.k.”
Judy also worked for St. Vincent Hospital and Marian Health Center through the years. It was while working as a Unit Manager that Judy was asked to provide mental health services for first responders after the Oklahoma City bombing and the crash of Flight 232 in Sioux City. Judy was a “people person” whose compassion, empathy, and ability to focus entirely on the person in front of her helped them feel cared for and respected. For her children she was a role model in lifelong learning as she graduated with her bachelor’s in nursing from Westmar College at the age of 50. She continued to work at Marian until her retirement in 2005, ending a 41-year career in nursing.
After her retirement, Judy and Morey moved out to McCook Lake where Judy was free to watch her grandchildren grow into the capable and caring adults, she helped them to become. Judy demonstrated grace, courage, and kindness in the face of her battle with dementia, and the family would like to thank the excellent staff at Whispering Creek Senior Living for helping her. She is survived by daughter Kelly and husband Craig McCauley of Lawrence, Kansas, and their sons Seth, Keenan, and Addison; son Jeff and wife Rose Graber of Luton, Iowa, and their children Ben, his partner Crystal Sharp and Myles Sharp and son Lane; Mark and wife Debbie Graber of Red Oak, Iowa and their children Nikki and her husband McClain, Dylan, Morgan, and Maci; and daughter Jen and her husband Erik Liebenthal of Bellevue, Nebraska, and their children Andrew and his wife Kotah, Eden, Salem and Moriah.
