Judith “Judy” (or “Jude”) Hill (McNealley) Lapacek of McCleary left us on August 1, 2024. Jude was born July 7, 1942 in Ohio to Arline (Markin) Hill and Forest Hill. The oldest of four children, she grew up in Riverside, California. Her dad died when Judy was 14, and her mother remarried a man who also had four children. Judy and her new stepsister, Joanie, became fast friends and lived together at boarding school. Judy and Joanie remained close over the years.

Judy married Fred McNealley in 1961; they eventually settled in Visalia, California and raised four children: Lynn (Ray) Carrillo of Visalia, Eric (Brigitte) McNealley of Montesano, Chris (Joy) McNealley of Oakville, and Steve (Vicki) McNealley of McCleary.

Judy later divorced Fred and married Don Lapacek of Cosmopolis in 1992.

Judy owned and operated a daycare center for years with her daughter Lynn; later in life she became a certified nursing assistant and then graduated from Grays Harbor College with a licensed practical nursing degree. She worked at Grays Harbor Health and Rehab in Aberdeen, and later in the memory care unit at the Beehive Assisted Living in McCleary.

Jude loved to play cards and dice with family and friends; she also created beautiful quilts with her quilting friends in McCleary. One of her favorite times of day was 2 p.m. – coffee hour with her son Steve and grandson Garry – a time to catch up on the day’s events and make plans for tomorrow. She also thoroughly enjoyed attending the Olympia Bible Baptist Church with her friends, including her good friend Don from the Beehive Assisted Living.

Judy’s legacy includes her children, grandchildren (Derrick, Stephanie, Josh, Trevor, Megan, Alex, Sean, Forrest, Garry, and Mireya) and great-grandchildren (Jaiden, Jacob, Jax, Josiah, Jace, Joshua, Sophia, Isabel, Adaline, Tracen, and Asher).

Judy’s family could not have gotten through this rough time without the professionalism, love, and dedication of the rockstars who work at the Beehive Assisted Living in McCleary where Judy lived her final days. You all took care of her like family, and we can’t thank you enough. And to Puget Sound Hospice – thank you for your prompt and phenomenal coordination of Judy’s care.

Judy, this isn’t goodbye but rather, until we see you again! Rest easy, lady – you’ve earned it.