Judy Sheley, formerly of Washington, suddenly passed away on Sept. 17, 2017, while working in her garden in Chino Valley, Arizona. She is survived by her loving husband of 54 years, John B. Sheley, a native of Washington, currently living in Chino Valley.
Judy was the eldest daughter of the late Agnes Bateman and John Orville Bateman of Washington. She is survived by her sisters, Betty Bateman and Carol Sue Bateman of San Diego, California. Her brother, John H. Bateman, preceded her in death in 1993.
Judy is also survived by her daughter Jennifer Kamplain and husband Kevin of Washington; her daughter Carol Beth Sheley and husband Jeff Thai of Monterey Park, California; her granddaughter Caitlin Kamplain of Bloomington; and her grandson Liem Thai of Monterey Park.
After graduating from Washington Catholic High School in 1961, Judy began her career as an administrative assistant, working for legal and medical firms in Washington. This lasted until 1994 when Judy and her family moved to the Aleutian Islands in Unalaska, Alaska. Judy loved the excitement of the Aleutians and enjoyed making friends with people from all over the world who traveled to the islands to fish in the cold Alaskan waters.
The Alaskan experience whetted Judy’s appetite for travel and adventure. Therefore, when she and John retired and moved to Arizona 13 years ago, it was natural for the two of them to start their own travel adventures. Their recent cruises through the Panama Canal followed later by a cruise around Australia and New Zealand were among their favorite trips.
The constant thread throughout Judy’s life was her intense love of family and friends. She never forgot the important milestones in the lives of those she loved, such as birthdays, christenings, graduations, weddings, and anniversaries. One of the biggest joys in her life was planning a family reunion in San Diego to celebrate her and John’s 50th wedding anniversary, an event that was attended by about 40 family members from around the country.
Judy was always the person who brightened the room when she walked in with her radiant smile. That is, unless there was a card game going on in the room she walked into. One of Judy’s passions was playing cards and she always had a deck or two with her in her suitcase when she traveled. The seeds for this passion were planted when as a young child she watched the elder Mangin relatives play all-night poker games. She became quite the skilled card player with a strong-willed determination to win – which she usually did. Fortunately for her family and friends, she did not play for money.
During her retirement, Judy also cultivated her love for gardening and created a beautifully landscaped yard in the arid Arizona climate, which also included an area for growing tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash, and even corn.
A memorial service celebrating the life of Judy Sheley will be held in San Diego at a date to be announced on her Facebook page. Memorial donations may be made in Judy’s name to the charity of your choice.
