Judith Ann
“Judy” Hale Schmelzenbach died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, in Austin,
Texas. She was 72.
Judith Ann “Judy” Hale Schmelzenbach died Friday, Jan. 28, 2005, in Austin, Texas. She was 72.
Judy was the second of three daughters born to M.P. “Skipper” and Laura Hale in Morgan Hill. She attended local schools and San Jose State University. She then worked for several years at United Air Lines in San Francisco. After raising her five children, she returned to school and earned her nursing degree, and became an operating room nurse. She was very creative, musical and artistic.
She loved to travel and was especially fond of sailing. That love of sailing took her to Antigua, home of the Antigua Yacht Race, where she remained for the last 15 years. She sailed twice across the Atlantic as a crew member, one of which was a National Geographic study cruise. While in Antigua, she developed and marketed a line of Antigua hot sauces and chutneys, and other bottled products. She sang with the Tree Frog Chorus, a local choral. She was a member of the American Women’s Club, a volunteer at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Center for Drug Rehabilitation, and active in Race Week activities.
She was the mother of Jamie Hiott of Morgan Hill, Heidi Grover of Boise, Idaho; Katie Miller of Columbia, S.C.; Konnie Hart of Austin, Texas; and Mark Schmelzenbach; grandmother of Annie Nikum of Missouri; Shannon and Lana Hiott of Morgan Hill; Harrison and Dalton Grover of Boise; Caleb, Maggie, Valerie and Mark Miller of Columbia; and Natasha Hart of Austin; and beloved sister of Joan Price of Friday Harbor, Wash., and Mary Malech of Morgan Hill. She also is survived by several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ford, and her son Mark.
At her request, Judy will be cremated, and her ashes taken to McCall, Idaho, to be buried with her son.
