Judy Shoemaker

(From Derfelt Funeral Home)

Judy Ann Shoemaker, 80, passed away on November 15, 2024 at her home in Baxter Springs, Kansas.

Judy was born February 3, 1944 in Ottumwa, Kansas the daughter of Francis Lee DeForest and Bertha Goldie (Dyste) DeForest. She and her twin brother Jerry were the youngest of eight children. Judy was the only girl in the family, and she grew up surrounded by brothers. 

At a very young age her family’s home near Ottumwa was destroyed by fire and they moved permanently to the nearby town of Lebo, Kansas where Judy was raised and attended school. For Judy the small tight-knit community of Lebo was home, and its school was a place of comfort and stability. She loved her teachers and classmates. Her experiences as a child in Lebo molded her worldview and it was there that she developed both a lifelong devotion to education and a heart for the vulnerable. Judy adored children and “critters” and was always uncommonly compelled to protect and care for them, especially if they were hurt or struggling. Throughout her life she was a fountain of care, empathy, and encouragement.

Judy graduated from Lebo High School in May 1962 and attended college the following fall. In December of that year Judy postponed her education and married the love of her life Jack F. Shoemaker. The young couple moved to Oswego, Kansas where Jack was a science teacher. Jack and Judy met while she was working at his aunt and uncle's restaurant in Lebo, and it was love at first sight. They were inseparable for more than 59 years until his death in 2022, a loss from which she never recovered. Together they were an enduring example of love, especially through difficult times.

From the very beginning of their marriage, life’s challenges only made their love for each other grow stronger. In October 1963 they faced the tragic loss of their first child shortly after his birth. The couple then moved from Oswego to Bern, Kansas where Jack took another teaching position. Two healthy daughters arrived during their time at Bern. They returned home to Lebo in 1969 where they welcomed a son in 1971. They remained in Lebo until 1987. There they raised their three children, and Judy could not have been a better mother, providing an ideal home and ensuring that each felt safe, loved, and special. As life continued, she did the same for each of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a steadfast example of maternal love.

While in Lebo, Judy resumed her studies, completed her degree in education at Kansas State Teacher’s College, and began her long and fruitful teaching career in 1973. She worked as an educator for 29 years. She taught first grade at Lebo Elementary for fifteen years and spent the remainder of her career at Greenlawn Elementary, a small rural school in the Columbus, Kansas school district. She received several awards and recognition for excellence in teaching and was for many years active in Alpha Delta Kappa, an organization for women educators. Year by year, class by class, student by student she consistently and patiently poured her care and attention into each child that occupied a desk in front of her. When necessary she was a fierce advocate for their well-being. She cherished the friendship and camaraderie of her colleagues. Her meticulous, organized nature and creativity were evident in her classroom. Judy was an exceptional teacher.

Judy was also a woman of deep faith, and she strove to follow Jesus’s example throughout her life. Unassumingly, through her kind and gentle actions she shared her faith with everyone around her. She belonged to Lebo Baptist Church for many years, and after the family’s move to Baxter Springs, Kansas she became an active member of Forest Park Baptist Church in nearby Joplin. There she worked with children in AWANA, helping them learn memory verses, encouraging them and giving hugs. She also served on the Disaster Relief team, assisting storm victims with laundry and debris removal. She was a Prayer Warrior and participated in the church’s prayer ministry, particularly in her later years.

Above all, Judy loved her family and devoted her extra time and energy to them. As a girl she enjoyed looking after her little nephews and nieces. She loved to visit with her parents, brothers, sisters-in-law, and everyone in her extended family. She always took a genuine interest in their lives, sharing in their joys and sorrows, and celebrating their accomplishments. She was a loving and devoted wife, and she invested herself wholly in her marriage and her children’s upbringing. She was joyfully immersed in 4-H projects, school and church activities, piano lessons and recitals. She took pains to make holidays and family gatherings special. But more than anything she enjoyed spending quality time playing with her grandchildren and attending their activities whenever she was able. She relished her time with them and looked on with pride as they grew into adults. Judy was a dedicated caregiver and she ensured that her mother, her sister-in-law Jean, her brother Jerry, and her husband were well cared for at the end of their lives. She was thoughtful and selfless and could always be counted on in times of crisis, or when a loved one was in need. For her, family was paramount. She forgave their transgressions, and she loved all of them unconditionally.

Judy was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jack, her parents Francis and Bertha DeForest, all seven of her brothers: Harry, Jim, Glen, Edward, Harold, Norman, and Jerry, and an infant son Joseph Ted Shoemaker.

She is survived by three children, Penny Ann Larsen and husband Jay Larsen, of Irvine, California, Wendy Lea Youngberg and husband Darin Youngberg of Joplin, Missouri, and Vincent “Joe” Shoemaker and wife Kristine Bohon of Poplar Bluff, Missouri; six grandchildren Madison (Youngberg) King, Kayla (Shoemaker) Boyle, Natali (Youngberg) Byrne, Holly (Traphagan) Hernandez-Toro, Zora Shoemaker, and Brayden Youngberg; ten great-grandchildren, and many nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at the Lebo Baptist Church in Lebo, Kansas. All are welcome. Time and date are pending. Please check back.

Memorial donations can be made directly to the Amazon Medical Project https://www.amazonmedical.org/, or to a charity of your choice