Richard Judge

Richard Judge, 95, of rural Garwin passed away on Saturday February 25, 2012 at Bickford Cottage in Marshalltown, Iowa, surrounded by his family and under the care of Iowa River Hospice.Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Visitation will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 2, 2012 at the funeral home in Marshalltown. Memorials may be directed to Iowa River Hospice in Marshalltown. For condolences or questions please visit: www.mitchellfh.com . Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Richard and his family. Phone 641-844-1234.Samuel Richard Judge was born in Indian Village Township, Tama County, IA on July 17, 1916; he was the son of Samuel Sylvester and Elva Ruth (Richards) Judge. Richard attended Whippoorwill Country School. On March 3, 1940 Richard was united in marriage to Maxine Margaret Whitford at Carlton Brethren Church in rural Garwin. Richard was a farmer and worked at Fisher Governor for 16 years, retiring in 1981. He attended the Garwin United Methodist Church.Richard began his farming career after his 8th grade graduation by working for farmers in the area. After marrying Maxine in the spring of 1940, they rented a farm north of Toledo. In 1951, they purchased a farm Southwest of Garwin, where they raised, dairy & stock cows, pigs, chickens, ducks and farmed the land. He lived there until moving into Bickford Cottage in August of 2010. Richard was a farmer at heart, anticipating the arrival of spring so that he could plant his crops with his John Deere tractors. He also enjoyed playing cards, dancing, riding his special sled in the winter (well into his 80s) where he would out distance all of the other sleds. He enjoyed his music! He played the accordion, mouth organ, violin and piano. He shared his musical talents while at Bickford Cottage, to the delight of the staff & residents.Left to cherish Richards memory are his children: Donald (Judi) Judge of Charlotte, North Carolina, Randy (Becky) Judge of Marshalltown, Iowa, and Linda (Mike) Barnett of Lakeland, Florida, grandchildren: Tami Pierce, Valerie Church, Wade Judge, Mark Judge, Meredith Goldman, Ashlee Barnett, and Devon Barnett, and his great-grandchildren: Jordan Pierce, Nathan Church, Caleb Church, Rachel Church, Aidan DeVolder, Finley Judge, Ethan Judge, Myles Goldman, and Kennedy Goldman, his siblings: Bertha DeFrance and brother: Virgil (Beverly) Judge.Richard was preceded in death by his parents Samuel and Elva Judge, his wife Maxine, his brothers: Lewis, Walter, Lawrence and Henry, and his sister Gertrude Kerr.