Judith Maltman

JUDITH CAROLYN GRACE MALTMAN

12-Feb-1948 to 29-May-2023

Judy went home to Jesus, after a courageous three-year battle for life.

She will be deeply missed by her husband Larry, daughter Tara Maltman-Just (Harold), beloved grand-dogs Calla and Lilly, rescue bird Silver, brother Barry Rempel (Deb), numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, students, healthcare workers and all those whose lives she touched.

Born in Winnipeg in 1948 to William and Rose Rempel, she grew up in Kleefeld in a caring home, cultivating her love for others, nature and her foundation of faith. She was a skilled seamstress and also had a keen eye for fashion and coordinated outfits.

Judith was an exceptionally bright student and graduated from the University of Manitoba. In 1969, she began her career as a Teacher with the Seven Oaks School Division, retiring in 2008 after 39 years of stalwart service, one of the longest serving teachers in the division.

Judy and Larry married on 4-July-1970, and enjoyed many adventures, road trips and holidays all across North America, and particularly loved Victoria and numerous trips to Hawaii.  They could share humorous tales of their exploits in Mexico, California, Texas, Florida, Branson, Mississippi, Nevada, Jasper and Banff.  She loved fresh air and walking the nature trails with the birds and wildlife, appreciating the beauty of the seasons as the leaves changed colour.  In the mid-70s she took cross-country skiing lessons and later trained her husband to join her on the trails of Bird’s Hill.

Judy was overjoyed with the birth of their only child Tara in 1983, and was a constant support throughout her school, piano, theatre and everything else, even cooking multiple meals for the family when Tara became a vegetarian starting at age 10.  They quickly grew to become the closest friends, sharing an inseparable bond that will endure into eternity.

Always vibrant and active, she lived life in full colour.  Judy was in her element gardening – growing flowers, trees, shrubs, and working tirelessly in preparation for the season, a perfect demonstration of the patience she had to invest time and energy in sowing seeds and watching them grow.  She tended her cosmos and morning glories daily, reminding them: “one day you won’t bloom just for a day – in Heaven, you will never stop blooming”.

She valued nature, and all of God’s creatures, and they seemed to know it.  She loved checking on her nesting and newly-hatched robins, killdeer mother and chicks, baby bunnies, puzzled partridges, peanut-loving bluejays and monarch butterflies, among others, ensuring they had water and food all year long.  This extended to her grand-dogs Calla and Lilly for whom she recently perfected the recipe for natural fat-free low-sugar dog fortune cookies.

Of course, she also made time for shopping, accessorizing, decorating seasonally with special thought to each detail and hosting elaborate holiday dinners, focused on making each guest feel welcome, just as she did as a greeter at Church for many years.

A joyful presence, she loved singing at church (and along to the Backstreet Boys among other popular songs), seeing Handel’s Messiah, as well as musicals (like Les Miserables), ice skating shows (and meeting Kurt Browning), concerts (Il Divo and the Tenors) and attending the symphony with her friends.

She was very generous with her attention, time, talent, patience and resources, empathizing for those in need and prioritizing donating to charities.

The consummate selfless servant, Judith devoted her life to others. Whether caring for her mother into her 90s, or lending a listening ear and encouraging word, she showed her faith by her works.

Judith was steadfast, immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord her labor was not in vain.

In retirement, Judy kept up her hard work and love of learning with new projects and hobbies, as well as brain games, never missing the Jumble, Wordle or the daily Sudoku, even the hard ones.

Despite the challenges throughout her life, and in the last three years fighting for life, Judith’s resilience was stellar; a model of Grace. She didn’t complain but fixed her eyes on our Blessed Hope.  Her silent strength shone through every battle, all the way into God’s arms.

She was not defined by any diagnosis and – though it was a hard physical and spiritual battle – she knew that the ultimate battle was won by the Lord.  Multiple times, the doctors said that what they saw on paper which looked so grim didn’t match the zest and vitality of the person in front of them. The Holy Spirit’s power was so strong in her.  So, Judy set out to make the most of every opportunity, living boldly and joyfully in her gentle, loving way: selecting fun outfits to each treatment, ordering inspirational pens to give to anyone she met who was feeling low, and always giving them an insightful uplifting Word.  Meticulous with observation and detail, she would then come home and write up humorous stories of her encounters and adventures that would bring light and laughter to others.

Judith experienced countless miracles amidst it all, even in the last hours, and found that God reminded her in many personal ways of His love for her.  Yet, she would exclaim: “can you believe that He would do that for me?!”  She was always grateful, humble, patient and kind. And she would tell you that He wants to be there for you too.

A CELEBRATION OF LIFE will be held on Saturday, June 17th, 2023 at 11 am at Springs Church: 725 Lagimodiere Blvd.