Judie Kroeker's Obituary
Judie Kroeker, 82 of Corydon passed away on January 31, 2018 at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. Judith Ann (Engene) Kroeker was born November 24, 1935 in Kansas City, MO and adopted by O.K. and Nancy Engene of Chillicothe, MO at the age of 12 days. Judie's sister Marion was adopted into the family when Judie was 13 years old. In 1953 Judie married her high school sweetheart. The new family had three children: Jerald Lee from Tampa, FL, Steven Craig from Scottsdale, AZ, and Nancy Marquesite from Chicago, IL. The family moved from state to state as Judie's husband was in the Navy in the early 1950's. His job in the navy carried them to many places. In 1978 Judie and John Kroecker from Konswata, OK were married. It was a very happy marriage and they thought the world of each other. Judie enjoyed her step grandchildren who lived away from her and John; however they all saw each other often. Judie and her step daughter Gloria had many good times when the family would get together. Judie had been a mezzo soprano soloist in almost all of the choirs of all the churches that she attended while growing up away from Corydon. She had wonderful times as a singer and met some very interesting people along the way; many of which she hated to leave when the family moved. In her high school music career she played the organ, piano, trumpet, cornet, and bass guitar; and learned most of the music by playing by ear. She played in bands and sang in vocal (both solo and girls trio) groups that went to state contests. She spent many of her weekends going to vocal lessons at Simpson College in Indianola. Judie always said she never had the time for sports, although she loved girls' basketball and volleyball and enjoyed watching her friends play in those sports. Judie was an active member of the Corydon United Methodist Church and choir. Once her singing stopped, she did start attending a church in Chariton, Iowa. Judie was also well known for her love for dogs. She was a member of the Mental Health Association of Des Moines and several other organizations in Corydon. She always tried to live up to a pleasant word. Her and her father shared a favorite saying "Live one day at a time and make it a masterpiece". Another of her favorite sayings that she believed to be so true was "Yesterday is gone-Tomorrow never was-All you have is today ". Her grown family, her old friends and her new friends were everything to her, she thought of them often and was very proud of them and loved them so much. Preceding her in death were her parents, her husband John, brother in law Bo Marion Francis Belding Jr. and her great niece Jenna Jepson. Surviving is her sister Marion, sons Jerald and Steven, daughter Nancy, and several cousins and other relatives and many friends. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Thomas Funeral Home in Corydon. Interment will be held at the Corydon Cemetery immediately following the service. Visitation will be held on Saturday prior to the service from 10-11 a.m. at Thomas Funeral Home in Corydon. Memorials may be given to Full Faith Christian Center, Hope Ministries or Humane Society of Lucas County and condolences may be shared at www.thomasfh.com. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Judie Kroeker please visit our Sympathy Store. Cemetery Details Corydon Cemetery S. West St. & Co Park Road
Corydon, IA 50060 Visitation FEB 10. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CST) Thomas Funeral Homes - Corydon 303 E. JeffersonCorydon, IA 50060[emailprotected] Funeral Service FEB 10. 11:00 AM (CST) Thomas Funeral Homes - Corydon 303 E. JeffersonCorydon, IA 50060[emailprotected]
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