Obituary of Judith B. Morgan
Judith Lane Brooks Morgan,
Santa Cruz, CA. Cherished wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend
who went home to her God suddenly at age 68, on September 30, 2018.
Predeceased by parents Gabe G. and Virginia Lane Brooks of Penfield, NY.
Survived by her devoted husband of 42 years, Timothy J. Morgan, daughter
Emily Brooks (Demany) Smith, and granddaughter Mason Lane Smith, son
John Lathrop (Jenna) Morgan, sisters Barbara (Robert) Quinn, Deborah (Mike)
McDaniel, Sara (Kevin) Houston, sister-in-law Penny (Mike) Swartz, many dear
cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
The eldest of four sisters and a graduate of Penfield High School '68, Judy showed the confidence and independence that characterized her life by striking out to attend American University in Washington, DC, where she graduated in 1972, remaining in DC to work on Capitol Hill and as the historian for the U.S. Customs Service and receive her Masters degree from Catholic University. It was while in D.C. that Judy met and married the love of her life, effortlessly becoming a model Army officer’s wife in the process.
In 1979, when her husband decided to leave the service, Judy again embarked on a new adventure, this time crossing the country to make her home and future in Santa Cruz, California, where she worked with her husband to build their law practice and begin their family. Judy’s active role in managing the practice was put on hold for the 17 years that she was able to be a stay-at home mom (as she often said, “We’re living the life of the ‘50s in the economy of the ‘90s”). Although she would have preferred to resume paralegal duties, for which she was certified, Judy accepted the challenge to return as manager of their busy law office in 2003, where she became indispensable to the running of their nearly 40-year general practice.
She gave generously of her time to church activities, serving as a Sunday School teacher and avid participant in Bible studies; was very involved in the local home schooling community; and was an active parent volunteer and member of the scholarship committees of the three schools attended by their children, Holy Cross, Harbor High, and Scotts Valley High.
Calling on her past experience as a Curve Bar Girl Scout (of which she was very proud), she became a Boy Scout adult leader, serving as a Cub Scout Den Leader and troop committee member of Scotts Valley Troop 604, a logical extension of her love of the outdoors nurtured by summers spent in her youth sailing and hiking with her family in upper New York State and Canada. A life long student of nutrition, in recent years Judy began working with a physical trainer and adhered to a challenging daily physical fitness regime.
Judy and Tim met through politics, which remained a central focus of their life together, attending many state and national political conventions and White House functions, and serving in numerous campaign leadership positions. Judy was proud to be an American.
Her innumerable small kindnesses to friends and relatives, her easy grace and sense of style, her generous hospitality and superb cooking skills, and her attention to detail will be greatly missed by all those who knew her.
Services will be held Friday, October 5, at Messiah Lutheran Church, 801 High Street, Santa Cruz, California. Her funeral will commence at 1:00 PM, following an open viewing at 12:30. Funeral procession to follow with burial at Santa Cruz Memorial Cemetery and reception immediately following at Santa Cruz Elks Lodge, 150 Jewell Street.
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