Judith Kay Hamann

Dearest Friends & Family,

With sadness we want to share that our beloved Aunt, Judy Kay Hamann died on May 25th, 2012 from cancer complications. She was surrounded by love until the last; she held hands with her loved ones and snuggled with the teddy bear her great-nephews had given her. They told us that one can hear until the last so we made sure to tell her continually how much everyone loved her.

We plan to meet to honor her memory later this year. Below is the notice put in the newspapers. We cherish our memories of Judy, so please send us an email or note if you have something to share.

Judy Kay lived large in a small package. She was born to Eleanor and Gerhardt Hamann on the farm in Princeton, MN. She was middle child to her baby sister Nancy and older brother Morrie. They lived in a small square house surrounded by woods and farmland.

Judy married Bruce Kahn in Princeton in the late 60's. Judy always told funny stories of Bruce and their marriage. He was the mortician in Princeton. Judy soon found she was better suited to the sophisticated life in Chicago. She worked for "the" Estee Lauder in the cosmetics industry. She also befriended actress Loni Anderson in her apartment building there.

She eventually moved to Denver and found a career in property management. She had a California king size bed with a comforter we called "ten tulips over Texas". All four of us (Jo, Ann, Judy and Nancy) and sometimes friends would lounge on the bed and watch movies. Judy adopted a kitten named Sadie that we found under a Mercedes in Central City. One of Judy's favorite things to do was to take drives into the Mountains. She loved Estes Park, Glenwood Springs, Vail and all of the other towns we would haunt on our Sunday excursions.

Judy fell in love and moved to a beautiful house in Colorado Springs for a number of years with her beloved dog Mugsy. Judy left Colorado Springs to return to Princeton to care for her mother until 2008. Seeking a new adventure, she researched the ideal place to live on the internet and decided on Ft. Collins CO. Judy enjoyed her friends in Ft. Collins, but eventually went to live with Jo Ellen in Aurora. Judy became a real- life princess (wave included) and loved to harass anyone within range with her candid dry-humor. She spent her summers at the pool drinking milk shakes and winters doing puzzles, cooking and redecorating the house. She traveled to Phoenix AZ in 2010 and vacationed with her entire family including several trips around the lazy river at the hotel-resort pool.

In addition to always being ready for a good time, we remember Judy for always being perfectly groomed, clothes ironed and hair and make-up in place. She moisturized and conditioned every day and bid us to do the same. Judy loved to do needlepoint; we all have some of her best pieces framed in our houses.

We love her for the friend, daughter, Aunt, and sister that she was. We rejoice that she lived her life to the fullest. Although she did not have children of her own, she is not alone and she is cherished. Her best qualities shine through in us; we will carry her forward with us always.

Much love - Ann & Jo Ellen

To share memories please email joellen1@q.com or aerrebo@san.rr.com