Judy Lynn Mena

On Thursday, October 6, 2022, Judy Lynn Mena, nee Thurman was called home to live with her Heavenly Father. She was 76 at the time she got the call. She had been fighting valiantly against illness, but the Lord must have told her she didn't have to fear, fight, or take anyone's crap anymore (she would have jumped at that possibility). It was time to peacefully begin her eternal life with Him and others she loved that were called home before her.

Her parents, Winfurd "W.A." Thurman and Dorothy Louise Thurman, nee Fitzgerald probably met her right at the beautiful gates to welcome her. Her Aunts Ruby Ehmke, nee Fitzgerald, Phyllis Thurman, nee Allerdings, Marie Thurman, and more with whom she was particularly close to during her life, Judy would be excited to see again. Many uncles and cousins that went on before her and were so important to her, it must have been a giant hugs and kisses fest crowding that gate . We are sure many of her very best friends from throughout her life who made the trip first would have been there to meet her as well, such as David Mackie, Lewis Simons, Ruby Dungan, nee Shoemaker, many many others, and, of course, her ex-husband but close companion and father to their children, Jorge Mena (although he was probably late to the gate). Judy started wearing her wedding ring again after Jorge got his own call from the Lord not all that long ago. In her own words she said she "never really did stop loving that pain in her ass". He often expressed the same, always loving her (and her being a pain in his ass). Maybe there will be a heavenly romance rebloom…how cute!

We take comfort in the fact that so many people from her past, with whom she had so many memories and stories she has shared with us over the years, she is reunited with. From the ER at Christian Welfare Hospital, saving the lives of gang members while having guns held to their heads being told, "if he dies, you die", to being dragged to the hospital chapel to pray to St. Jude for a certain negative test result, and many more that sound like episodes of Grey's Anatomy (not all of them appropriate to repeat here), she cherished every memory. She never had any blood related brothers and sisters, but within those stories are the people that became Godparents, Aunts, Uncles, and "Grandpa Lew" to her children.

She was always a loving mother to her three daughters who survive to carry her spirit with them, Jody Mena, Dory Carlstrom (David, she finally got her son), and Lynde Mena. At this point in the obituary, she would have loved to have had a grandchild surviving her mentioned here (She may be reading this from above, rolling her eyes, tapping her foot, thinking "um, yeah..still waiting.."). Don't worry, should the time come, you will be known to your Grandchildren and we will find ways to include you in their lives as if you were right here with them physically. They will feel the love of your spirit, just as your children do. She would have done anything and always did everything she could for them, even in the hardest of times. Of all her accomplishments, she always said that her children were the greatest (yea, we have no idea what she was talking about either). She certainly never let anyone mess with them and she taught them how to fight for what you want and need in life and how to never give up. She also taught them how to love unconditionally and to find the good in people. She may not have had a sister by blood, but she met her sister-by- heart when she was just a little girl. Godmother to her children who they know as Aunt, Tena Daye, who also survives her and who meant everything to her. She told her daughters to look to Aunt Tena's example of how to be strong, even in difficult situations. Judy was admittedly bad at correspondence and keeping up with sending letters and cards. She instructed her girls to be like their Aunt Tena, who never misses a birthday or holiday or a card just to let someone know you are thinking of them. She is also survived by her dear friend Kathy Simons, who she came to know through Lewis Simons (Grandpa Lew). She told her girls to look to Kathy's example as well, who is always active and doing exciting things. Kathy was her confidant and always somehow knew the right thing to say or gave her some good advice when she needed it. Judy leaves behind far many other relatives and friends that meant so much to her. Lastly, Judy is survived by her many animals in the real-life Disney movie that is her backyard. Her squirrels that came to her window many times a day, her favorite being the one she named "Lady", her hummingbirds, chipmunks, and family of deer that live in the thicket behind the house. Especially during the pandemic, they made isolation a bit easier.

Judy worked her entire life in service of God through different roles in the nursing profession. Some people are born to do certain things in life, Judy was born to be a nurse, and a damn good one. Called to the profession from a very young age, she started working as a tray-girl in a nursing home when she was in her early teens. She volunteered as a candy striper, and upon graduation from Belleville Township High school, she attended Deaconess School of Nursing and Belleville Area College to become a Registered Nurse. She worked her early years as a nurse in the emergency department at Christian Welfare Hospital where she met many of her lifelong friends. She furthered her education attending Saint Louis University where she earned a BSN. She then attended Louisiana State University in New Orleans and was awarded her Masters Degree in Nursing with a functional concentration in Nursing Administration and a clinical concentration in psychiatry. She worked at Hotel Dieu Medical Center for the majority of her time in Louisiana, she lovingly referred to this place as Hotel Die, as she said the "u" had a tendency to always short out and she couldn't imagine who would set foot in there for medical treatment. During her time in New Orleans she met her future husband Jorge Mena, who she would marry after moving to Topeka, Kansas.

She was offered a position as the Director of Nursing at Stormont-Vail Regional Medical Center and was later promoted to Vice President. She has accolades throughout her nursing career that would take 10 pages to cover, seriously, her resume has 10 pages of accomplishments and accolades. Not to mention the thousands of patients she encountered during her career that she gave her utmost attention to and the many lives she has likely saved throughout her own life. Even after becoming disabled from an injury during a hurricane, when Judy could no longer continue in her career, her extraordinary skills and knowledge, perseverance, tenacity, and love translated into the care of her youngest daughter, Lynde. She was thought to most likely live a very short, painful life. Probably not survive the age of 2, according to the "experts". But Judy was not accepting that without a fight. She always believed in miracles; ask some today, and they might tell you that she performed a miracle, because Lynde is 33 years old today, healthy, and one of the happiest people you'll ever meet. Even in death of her physical body's, she still intends to save lives. Mid America Transplant Center informed her children upon her passing that she renewed her wish to be a donor for the past 30 years. They will use Judy's gift to save those with life threatening burns, those that need emergency grafts during surgery, those that need amputations…the list goes on. One donor can potentially save 75 lives. The most important thing to know about Judy, is that she was an extraordinary woman who loved unconditionally, gave freely, laughed hard, and lived her life as a tool for God's hands. She lived by the prayer of St. Francis (google it if you don't know it, she would think this obituary was way too long as it is to put the whole thing here). She didn't just talk about it and repeat it at church from time to time. She lived it.

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