Early Sunday morning, Dec. 16, we lost our beloved mother, grandmother and friend Judy Deerwester to a long and hard fought battle with cancer.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Don Deerwester, as well as her two children, Hedy (and her fiancé Luis Almonte) and Doug (and his wife, Tisha), along with many special family members – Les and Mike Cunningham, Debbie Burnett, Jeff Taylor, Greg and Nichole Seeber, Tracy and Lisa Skay and Lita Jan Sykes – who she considered her adopted children.

Judy passionately loved her eight grandchildren, Dee and Nick Deerwester, Michael Johnston, Hedy and Colton Seeber, McCall and Cody Skay and Joseph Downey.

Judy was born in 1942 to Wink and Hulda Khaler in Newport. She spent her entire life in Newport raising her family and building a life of her own. Judy had many passions, such as her quilt shop, 4-H leadership, involvement in the museum and the high school Maws and Paws Booster Club. Judy passed in the company of all her loved ones. To quote Judy, "This right here is the way to go, surrounded by love and joy." We will love and miss her always and wish her peace and happiness in her next journey.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Newport. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Ronald McDonald House of Hospice of Spokane.