Judy Garr passed away on October 5,2026, surrounded by family. She lived her life with strength, determination, generosity, and a deep love for her family and community. A lifelong resident of Dunkirk, Indiana, Judy believed in showing up—for her family, her friends, her hometown, and the people she loved. She leaves behind a lifetime of memories, traditions, friendships, and love that will continue through the generations of her family.

Judy was born July 30, 1945, in Portland, Indiana, to William “Shorty” and Frances “Francy” Boggs. She grew up in Dunkirk and graduated from Dunkirk High School with the Class of 1963. Her connection to her classmates remained important throughout her life, and she faithfully attended the annual alumni banquet for many years. Some of Judy’s most treasured friendships began in childhood and lasted a lifetime.

On July 16, 1965, Judy married Jeff Garr, the love of her life. “Jeff and Judy” shared 39 years of marriage, raising their family and building a life together in the community they loved. With the exception of a brief move to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for Jeff’s work, Dunkirk was always home. Following Jeff’s death in 2005, Judy continued to carry him close to her heart.

Judy’s love for Dunkirk extended far beyond simply calling it home. She spent much of her life serving and working within her community. After working in the clerk’s office at the Dunkirk City Building, she was elected Clerk-Treasurer, a position she held for many years. Later, she earned both her real estate and broker licenses and enjoyed a successful career in real estate. Throughout the years, she also worked in accounting and tax preparation.

But Judy’s contributions to Dunkirk were about much more than her career. She was always looking for ways to make her hometown a better and more beautiful place. She was instrumental in establishing the Dunkirk Beautification Committee and helped organize festivals and other activities designed to bring people together and draw visitors to the community. She was also a lifetime member of Sigma Phi Gamma sorority.

That same willingness to get involved was evident in the way Judy raised her family. She supported her children through scouts, band, cheerleading, sports, and countless other activities. Above all, Judy was a loving and devoted mother who was incredibly proud of her children and the lives they built.

As much as Judy loved being a mother, becoming “Grandma” brought another great joy to her life. She was tremendously proud of her grandchildren and attended as many games, activities, celebrations, and milestones as she could. One of her greatest joys was watching them grow into wonderful adults and seeing several of them become parents themselves. To her great-grandchildren, she was “Gigi,” and the time she was able to spend with them, particularly during this last year, was especially precious to her. Judy’s love extended to the four-legged members of the family as well, and her grand-dogs and grand-cat held a special place in her heart.

Judy also knew how to make life fun. She loved coming up with themes, games, and special touches that made family gatherings memorable. Her grandchildren will always remember Grandma’s Halloween parties, family games at Thanksgiving and Christmas, her sloppy joes, and the cheese ball everyone loved.

She loved nature, traveling, the beach, the ocean, and just about anywhere that put her near the water. She was also a devoted Big Ten basketball fan—especially when Purdue was playing—and rarely missed a game. More recently, she became an enthusiastic Indiana Fever fan and loved watching their games as well.

Music brought Judy joy throughout her life, and no song captured her fun-loving spirit quite like ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” Judy turned the song into a tradition for the women in her family, bringing out boas and a crown for the bride and making sure “Dancing Queen” was part of family weddings. What began as Judy’s idea became a wonderful family tradition that will forever bring her to mind when the first notes begin to play.

During the final chapter of her life, Judy found a special kind of peace living on the lake in Columbus, IN with her family. She enjoyed watching the birds and animals outside, particularly the heron and the cardinals, and being surrounded by the people she loved. She faced the challenges of her health journey with remarkable strength and determination.

Judy is survived by her three children, Lana Hunt and her husband, Rick; Tricia Buchanan and her husband, Ken; and Jeff Garr and his wife, Nicci; her grandchildren, Allie (Simon), Eric (Natalie), Jon (Madie), Aaron, Abby (Christian), Matt (Anna), Paige (Conner), and Marina; and her great-grandchildren, James, Wren, Gwendolyn, and Remington.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Jeff; her parents, William “Shorty” and Frances “Francy” Boggs; her brother, Bill; and her sister, Shelba, who died at birth.

Judy’s family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the wonderful nurses, doctors, and staff at Columbus Regional Health Cancer Center and Our Hospice of South Central Indiana. Their kindness, compassion, and exceptional care brought comfort not only to Judy, but also to her family throughout her journey. Her family will always be grateful for the many ways they cared for Judy with such tenderness, dignity, and love.

Judy leaves behind much more than a list of accomplishments. She leaves behind a family who knew they were loved, a community made better because she cared about it, friendships that endured for decades, traditions that will continue, and countless ordinary moments that became treasured memories simply because she was there.

After Jeff passed away, Judy always believed that seeing a cardinal was a little visit from him—a way for Jeff to say hello and remind her that he was still near. Now, when two cardinals appear together, her family will smile and know that they are watching over the family they loved so dearly, until they can all be together again.

A private service will be held for Judy’s family with Meacham Funeral Service handling arrangements. Burial will take place at Center Cemetery in Jay County, Indiana. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Columbus Regional Health Cancer Center through the Columbus Regional Health Foundation(https://www.crh.org/foundation#bbox-root) or to the Dunkirk High School Alumni.