Obituary of Judy Mefford

Judith “Judy” G. (Roe) Mefford, 82, of Othello, Washington went home to be with the Lord on Monday, January 3, 2022. She was born on December 17, 1939, to Ernest Roe and Iva May (McCoy) Roe in Lander, Wyoming and was the eldest of four children. Judy’s family moved to Grand Coulee during the years of dam construction. She attended the local schools and spent much of her youth working in the Sunset Fountain, her family-owned store. In 1967 she married Jack Mefford and after living in Spokane and Vancouver, moved to Othello in 1975. Together they raised five daughters: Susan, Debra, Sharon, Jacqueline, and Melissa, teaching them patience, tolerance, and unconditional love. Judy and Jack celebrated 54 years of marriage this past year. She is remembered as a humble, selfless, generous, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and friend who was the heart and soul of her family. Her home was the gathering place where all were welcomed, given a bed to sleep, and provided a homecooked meal. Judy was one of the hardest working women her family will ever know. She doted on her family and never missed the opportunity to make someone feel special by delivering a gift on holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, or other special occasions. Judy was the annual host of her family’s Christmas Eve celebrations. She spent days preparing cookies, desserts, and other holiday foods that only “Grandma” could make. Judy would send families home with bags of gifts she had hidden away. Her family was always amazed at how she managed to accomplish it all. To them, she was superwoman and will be an impossible act to follow. Judy enjoyed gardening, reading, baking, and music. She also had a passion for family genealogy. She was the keeper of historic family documents and photographs as well as treasured albums, slide shows, and classic home videos. This was not always a good thing however, as she took great pleasure in showing the most embarrassing moments from her daughters’ childhood to her grandchildren. Judy wore many hats over the 46 years she was part of the Othello community. She was very active with the Othello High School Band Boosters in the 1990’s, spent several years volunteering as a local election day worker, and enjoyed serving in various roles in the Othello First Baptist Church where she was a member for 40+ years. Her favorite role in the church was as a leader in the AWANA Youth Ministries. She loved keeping the record books and purchasing small gifts to commemorate individual student growth and achievement. Additionally, Judy spent years providing a free taxi service to her five daughter’s and their friends. She could be found in the stands of any sporting event, dance or piano recital, band concert, or any other function in which her children or grandchildren were participating. Judy was preceded in death by her parents, sister Pat Lucas, brother Ernest Roe Jr., and daughter Susan Lamb. She is survived by her husband, Jack, daughters Debra Larsen (Matt) of Post Falls, Idaho; Sharon Hall-Marx of Las Vegas, Nevada; Jacqueline Jewell (Michael) of Moses Lake; and Melissa Calzadillas (John) of Othello: her brother, Floyd “Jim” Roe of Mesa, Arizona; 20 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild; an aunt, uncle and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.