Tribute

Judy  Mabel Tegart was born on November 28, 1938 in Fruitvale, BC to parents Nikalas John and Mary Sookevoeff.

She had a fall before Christmas and ended up in the hospital with a few broken ribs and hip and went down hill very quickly.  She passed away on January 11, 2022 just before midnight with her niece Carol Ann by her side.

She had one sister Vera who died in 1998.  Her husband James Clifford Tegart died in 1988.  Judy’s first husband James Larry Goodwin died in 1970.

We all knew Aunty Judy had the kindest soul.  We relished in her stories and adventurous spirit and loved her great sense of humor.  But boy was she ever fiercely independent!!  And organized!!  That’s not a bad thing but you could hardly do anything for her and she’d give you that look if you bought her flowers or scratch tickets.

At a young age of 12, Judy was sent by  her mom to pick strawberries in  Wyndell.  She loved working, having her own money so she could go to the store for herself.  She also washed potatoes for a Mr. Stapleton.  At 18, Judy caught a bus from Creston to the Radium Hotel and got a job there where she met her first husband, our Uncle Jimmy Goodwin, son of Earl and Maude Goodwin.

Unfortunately, Jim died when he was only 34 years old.  Then Judy met and married Jim Tegart, lived in Canal Flats then moved to Cranbrook where he passed away at 50 years old.  So she has been alone for over 30 years living in Cranbrook, where we had the honor to really get to know her.  She loved watching cooking shows, cartoons, Little House on the Prairie and Leave it to Beaver, Oh, and a monkey show.  She was very ingenious making special holders on her walker for her cell phone, water bottles, grabbers to pick things up and many other things.  Dr. Brown was so impressed that he took a picture of her walker.  She was such a good friend and gave some very good advice that you may not have known you needed.  What a blessing she has been to us.  We will miss her boundless wealth of knowledge, her great laugh and smile and her wonderful sense of humor.  We loved her voice and will miss her beautiful face.  She always said, “When my time comes, don’t go crazy.  What will be will be.”  We love you!!  Until we meet again, Aunty Judy, Godspeed.