Judith Joan (Markle) Lewis, 95, passed away peacefully on September 1, 2022 at Bristol Village Community in Waverly, Ohio.

Born in Elwood, Indiana to Ruth (Kestler) and Loren Markle on March 9, 1927, Judith (or Judy as most of her friends knew her) will be most remembered for her kindness, curiosity, sense of humor and love of travel.

Raised on a small farm in Madison County, Judy played with her sister Virginia and cousins Mark Holland and Don Kestler.  Judy attended a one-room school during the depression and attended Alexandria High School.  She worked for Aladdin Mantle Lamp Company during WWII and then attended Valparaiso University from 1946-1947.  In early 1947 Judy married Richard L. Lewis (Dick), son of former Alexandria Mayor, Guy Lewis and his wife Phala—all active FDR Democrats.  Because of Dick's job with Johns-Manville, the family was transferred quite a few times while raising five children with a 15 year age difference between the eldest and youngest daughters.  All of the Lewis children attended at least a couple of years of school in Alexandria, so the family always considered it their "hometown."  The family also lived in Winthrop Harbor and Joliet, Illinois, Green Brook, NJ and Richmond, Indiana.   In 1972 the family relocated to High Bridge, New Jersey when Dick was transferred to the JM headquarters in Manville.  Judy then took work as a teller at High Bridge National Bank which was a beautiful Art Deco building and worked for the bank under various mergers, retiring with Wells-Fargo Bank in 1992.

Judy and Dick both enjoyed music and road trips and had seen just about every state in the US.  They travelled together to England and Scotland in 1977 for Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.  They also travelled to Mexico, Austria, Germany, The Netherlands and France among other countries.  Judith travelled to Asia and Australia on a cruise with daughter, Laurel.

As Dick's health declined, the couple decided upon Bristol Village in Waverly, Ohio, to retire.  They both had read about the community in AARP magazine and after checking it out a few times during visits between New Jersey and Indiana they decided to move there.  Judy said the deciding factor was the swimming pool, but she also naturally became an active resident and had a special bond with a group of amazing women which they all called the "Sisterhood."  The ladies travelled together, once all jumping on a round trip Spirit Airlines deal, just to eat lobster rolls for lunch in New England.  Judy also helped cofound a local chapter of the Red Hat Ladies organization and coordinated a gala event for its members.    A writer at heart and never one to shy away from technology, Judy had a blog where she wrote restaurant reviews and about events in the Southeast Ohio area under "The Gadabout Girl."

Judy was an active member in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and the Democrat Party.  When she and Dick moved to Bristol Village, they chose the small country Methodist Church in Omega, OH, where Judy played organ on Sundays.

Judy's last full day included eating ice cream, a screening of "The Queen," and listening to a recording of a live radio show of Garrison Keillor and The Prairie Home Companion.

Judith is predeceased by her husband, Richard and daughter Stephanie Lewis (Bob Damone) of Billerica, Massachusetts.  She is survived by her sister Virginia (Maurice) Etchison of Elwood, Indiana, son, Greg, and daughters, Laurel, Hillary and Kimberly (Howard Centro), sister-in-law Patricia Esmon as well as cousins, nieces, nephews and their families.

Two celebrations of life will be held to remember Judith.  The first will be held at the Glenn Center Auditorium, Bristol Village, Waverly, OH, on Sunday, September 18, at 2 pm.  The second will be held at the Alexandria Community Center, 315 S. Harrison St., Alexandria, IN, on Sunday, October 9, at 12:30 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Hospice, Doctors Without Borders, Ross County (Ohio) Democratic Party, or you may plant a tree in Judith's memory at https://www.owensmemorialservices.com/obituaries