Judy Anne Freeland (Soper), 87
Judy Anne Freeland (Soper) passed away Dec. 17, 2021, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She was 87 years old.
Judy was born in 1934 in Choteau, Mont., to James and Harriet Broderick. When she was a baby the family moved to Coeur d’Alene, where she grew up. Judy always loved the water, and as a teenager she spent happy summers at the lake, working as a lifeguard and teaching swimming lessons. She graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 1952, then married Eugene Soper and raised three children.
When Judy was in her 30s and her children were teenagers, she went back to school at NIC, and earned her RN degree. She loved nursing and worked at Kootenai Memorial Hospital for many years. She also volunteered with Hospice of North Idaho, something that brought her deep satisfaction, helping families face end of life with dignity and peace. Judy attended the 40th anniversary of Hospice of North Idaho shortly before her death. She was provided the same compassion and care from the same hospice at the end of her life.
In 1990, Judy moved to the Denver area and married Gary Freeland, her childhood classmate and sweetheart. She worked again as an RN, specializing in cardiac care and later as an instructor, until she retired.
Judy and Gary loved their home in the Rockies and loved the outdoors. They enjoyed being active, with all that nature had to offer. They enjoyed traveling together, and Judy loved gardening and matching wits with the hungry deer in the neighborhood. In their later years she and Gary took up kayaking, which became a much-loved activity for them.
Gary, after having worked on many interesting projects, including Space Shuttle and Mars Lander, had retired from Lockheed Martin, and although happy in Colorado, the 8,000-foot elevation of their home was becoming a problem and Judy missed Lake Coeur d’Alene and being closer to family, so in 2015 they moved back to their hometown. Judy remained active and engaged in the world around her until she developed Alzheimer’s two years ago. Even then, she retained her captivating smile and sense of humor through the progression of her illness.
Judy is survived by her husband of 31 years, Gary Freeland of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; son Steve (Genny) Soper of Rathdrum, Idaho; son Ken (Klare) Soper of Ferndale, Wash.; daughter, Carrie (Jon) Nylund of Sagle, Idaho; eight grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by brothers Dennis in 2014 and Larry in 2021.
May she rest in the serenity of kayaking on smooth water. Judy was a member of the Eastlake congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. She had a great love for her God, and she had unwavering faith in the Bible’s promise of a resurrection and looked forward to being reunited with her loved ones on a paradise earth.
A memorial service will be held at 2:30 PM, Saturday, January 8, 2022, at Yates Funeral Home – Coeur d’Alene Chapel – 744 N. 4th St. Coeur d’Alene, 83814. It will be followed by a Zoom memorial service for those friends and family that reside across the US and overseas at 4:00 PM on Saturday, January 15, 2022 during a Zoom Meeting ID: 82165148345, passcode: 1934.
Her family requests that donations be made in her memory to Hospice of North Idaho, 2290 W. Prairie Ave., Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815.
Yates Funeral Home has been entrusted with the final arrangements. Please visit Judy’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at yatesfuneralhomes.com.
