Tribute

At dawn on Sunday, July 30, Judith Nicholas gracefully and gently bid us her final farewell from the comfort of her home in Willowbrook, above Oliver, B.C. Judy died with her sons Michael and Sebastian and three sisters by her side.

Judy moved to Oliver in 1965 from Langley and was a lively and gregarious part of a community of teachers, potters, skiers, yoga enthusiasts, craftspeople, activists, bookclubbers, lake-lovers, trailhikers, and other young parents. As a mother, Judy instilled lessons of love, play, respect, and independence. As a technician at the lab at the hospital in Oliver, she enjoyed the contribution she made and connection with her workmates and patients.

Coming from a medical background that couldn’t address her health challenges, Judy found much solace and support in alternative therapies – healing touch, chakra work, and she returned with diligence to her yoga practice, becoming trained as a teacher and made many friends among her students at the Oliver Community Centre.

Judy went on to operate a bed and breakfast, the Happy Quail, from her log home in Willowbrook. This enterprising spirit gave her the independence and fortitude to venture globally making many trips to see grandchildren in Indonesia and Australia as well as adventuring individually and as part of a group to Nepal, China, Japan, and Morocco.

Many people in the South Okanagan have been touched deeply by Judy’s tremendous vitality, generosity, and humour. Understandably, many who knew and loved Judy may not have been aware of the severity of the illness, a recent cancer, that she had been managing in a private, positive, and proactive way.

In her final year, Judy was grateful to have the support of her family and friends, in particular, her sister Linda. Her sons were also able to spend many precious months with her. Could this delightful lady chasing 2 seven-year-old grandchildren through the snow at Christmas really have a terminal illness? Apparently, hard to believe, but, yes.

Judy received excellent treatment and care from the staff at the Oliver hospital, Penticton Oncology, her GP, the Oliver Palliative Care Team, the Swingle Clinic, and Community Healthcare. Eventually, Judy’s most satisfying medication became the delicious butter chicken from Jas at the Best of India Restaurant.

Please dine there in her memory.

Judy was/is a deep wide soul that will continue to give, love, teach, and tease through the love of her friends, family, and various communities she moved in. Judy will be joyfully received beyond by loving parents, Bert and Ann Ball. By adoring parents in-law, Leonard and Isabel Nicholas. She’s sure to get a great big hug from Pat McGibbon.

Judy, or ‘Oma’ to her grandkids, entrusts her descendants to continue her thorough enjoyment of life’s simple pleasures – Michael and his children, Abigail and Jack; Sebastian and his wife, Marianne, and their children Armand, Bennett, and Michael; Her loving siblings, nieces and nephews; Her vast and diverse community of friends (regretfully, too many to mention here by name). May we all aspire to meet life with Judy’s level of trust, acceptance, patience, dignity, generosity, and playfulness.

A celebration of her life will be held this Saturday, August 5 in her garden in Willowbrook, 272 Carr Crescent. From 4pm to 6pm with an officiation at 5pm.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her memory. These charities were very close to Judy’s heart:

Highway to Healing – http://highwaytohealing.org

Canadian Harambee Educational Society – http://www.canadianharambee.ca

Judy’s family is deeply appreciative of the support of John and Daryn at Nunes-Pottinger Funerals where she was received for cremation on Tuesday, Aug 1, 2017, after one last ride through the unique beauty of the White Lake area.

Live, Love, Laugh.

Judy Nicholas. August 9, 1944 – July 30, 2017