Judith Anne Reece

Judith “Judy” Reece, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and very special friend, passed away peacefully on April 16, 2025. Affectionately known as Nana, Mama Nana or Mama Judy, Judy’s legacy is one of love, creativity, and fierce devotion to the people she loved and the passions that brought her joy.

Judy was born on November 30, 1951 born in Salem, Ohio, to Ken and Alice (Davis) Robinson. Judy was a curious, active little girl who cherished time in nature and with animals. She loved her visits to her grandparents' farm in Lisbon, surrounded by sheep, goats, chickens, and cousins! Her best friend was her imagination, and she and her sister used to pretend they were pioneer women turning their bunk beds into covered wagons and fighting off Indians.

Her family moved to Overland Park, Kansas, when Ken became the 10 pm news anchor at WDAF-TV. She and her siblings, Devery and Alan, graduated from Shawnee Mission South High School, where Judy was involved in track and field and gymnastics, passions she followed to Kansas State College of Pittsburgh in 1969 (now Pittsburg State University.) There she met Peggy- roommate, fellow gymnast, and lifetime friend. She met and married fellow student David Walton and had their first child, Lara Michelle, a birth reported on the evening news by their proud grandfather, followed by Jennifer Lynn, two years later.

Judy’s commitment to family remained steady when her young marriage ended, and soon she met Bob Reece, forming a partnership that would last their lifetimes. They married in 1975, and with his four children and her two, they became a lively, ever-evolving blended family full of energy, complexity, and love.

Judy quickly picked up where she left off with her passion for physical fitness, teaching Dance-Slimnastics (before Jazzercise!) to women in church basements. Her daughters often served as test subjects for new routines—personally choreographed to trendy ‘70s hits and practiced right there in their Merriam living room. Lunge left... lunge right...toe touch…grapevine…

She also nurtured her love of animals, finding joy and pride working at the Kansas City Zoo. In the “big cat house,” she cared for pumas, lions, and tigers as if they were house cats. She also loved caring for the baby chimps in the nursery.

During those years in Kansas City, she built cherished friendships with the Coffmans and Craigs, and maintained bi-weekly luncheons with Barbara and Jeantte until shortly before her death.

Judy and Bob had a brief two-year residence in St. Louis—where she again formed deep, lasting friendships, this time with Bill and Phyllis Halloran, and their entire family. Making lifelong friends everywhere she lived was a hallmark of Judy’s life. Relocation didn’t end relationships—it multiplied them.

In 1981, Judy and Bob left the Midwest for South Florida, where they formed a visionary enterprise, combining land surveying and home inspection services. Lender’s Services proved to be a successful business, growing for over 20 years. Beyond organization and bookkeeping, Judy’s personal involvement with the customers-- delivering personalized boxes or cookies or bagels to clients, for example-- helped make Lenders a unique success.

That was Judy - a kind and generous soul who believed in the power of connection. In Florida, again, Judy’s lifelong friend-family grew and grew. The Hesses, Kris Kernan, Kathy Vowels, and the whole Keys crew - solid friendship to the end.

Judy made a connection a practice: She remembered birthdays, anniversaries, and milestones—not just for immediate family, but for her large extended circle—and honored them all with thoughtful messages, small surprises, and her trademark personalized gifts.

Judy loved to give. This love showed up in one-of-a-kind diamond paintings, miniature hobby-themed rooms, hand-crafted scrapbooks, custom ceramics, themed gift boxes, hand-tied blankets designed just for you, unique cards, and custom care packages - always cultivated around a theme personal to you. Gifts were well-planned and thought out: from crafting long ahead of time to how the presentation would actually go down, “last minute” was not part of Judy's vocabulary when it came to gift giving. In fact, although she died in April, it is likely she had 75% of her Christmas shopping and projects already underway! She loved the process and anticipation just as much as the gift.

There was nothing she enjoyed more than the presentation. Getting a gift from Judy was an event, a performance. It had to surprise, delight, maybe even confuse you for a second. Like a puzzle, a game, or a mystery, it was her playfulness and creativity at work. Her gifts were riddles in disguise. Even when her teenage grandkids grew out of traditional toys and presents, her cash gifts were unforgettable—cleverly disguised with safety pins, duct tape, or, and this was her most notorious…baked into cookies! For Judy, it wasn’t just the what—it was the how.

Her kitchen table told her story. At the time of her passing, it held colorful Easter baskets for neighbors, a long-standing tradition of gifting every holiday -- big or small. Valentine’s Day. Mardi Gras. St. Patrick’s --- She turned calendar dates into rituals…with sparkle. One neighbor recently said of Judy,” Just being around her made me want to be a better person.” That's how her kindness and generosity affected people. A plaque hanging in Judy’s home read, “Let all that you do be done in love” from Corinthians 16:14. She lived by that.

As a lifelong animal lover, she even left “gifts” for the raccoons who lingered near her back door. Not just scraps or dry kibble—no she even hand-crafted these: she sliced individual grapes for them, one by one. And when the skunks showed up? They got grapes too. She welcomed them all.

Her pets, though—those were family. From the litter of kittens she raised at 19 to the many dogs and cats that followed, each received her full attention and affection. She named them carefully. She spoke to them like old friends. fed them like special guests and always welcomed them in her lap, under her table, and in her heart. They were, afterall, family.

Even after a major stroke in June of 2024, which compromised her vision and some motor functions, Judy maintained a commitment to her full and complete life. Her bravery and perseverance through difficult health problems and challenging physical therapy was bionic! Picture this: Judy with a patch over one eye and cane in hand who is looking forward to time on the treadmill and boxing with her therapists. What a woman! She was even diamond painting and making unique charcuterie again before she passed.

Judy is survived by her children: Lara Caldwell, Jennifer Bryant (Don), Angela Reece (Tia) Daniel Reece (Tabetha) and daughter in law, Ami; her grandchildren: Gabi (Cody), Andrew (Sarah), Steven (Caitlin), Mark, Trevor, Allison, Jake, Kurt Jr. “KJ,” Quinn, Ricky, Zeke, and Kyle; and her great-grandchildren: Riley and Roland. Judy “adopted” a bonus granddaughter in 2012, Melissa (Brent) and loved their children, Easton, Bodhi and Devery as great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Bob Reece, her son Michael, her daughter Lili, her grandson Aidan, parents, Ken and Alice, brother Alan, dear sister Devery, stepmother Claudia and stepsister, CJ. Each of these relationships held a permanent place in her heart

Judy Reece will be remembered for how she loved and how she lived—with generosity, imagination, and a heart open to joy. …lives she touched, the traditions she created, the differences she made…she will be missed beyond measure.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to KidsTLC, a nonprofit organization in Olathe, Kansas, dedicated to supporting children and families facing mental and behavioral health challenges, developmental trauma, and autism. Judy cherished her time volunteering at TLC for many years. Contributions can be made online at www.kidstlc.org (https://www.kidstlc.org/) or by mail to:

KidsTLC

480 S. Rogers Road

Olathe, KS 66062

Phone: (913) 764-2887

A memorial service for Judy will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2025, 12 pm at Johnson County Funeral Chapel, 11200 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS 66210.

A casual gathering to celebrate Judy’s life will follow, 2 pm at her favorite spot: The Peanut, 127th St. 12663 Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS 66209