Judith K. Schwake, 86, of Sumner, died Monday, January 6, 2025, at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner.
Judith Kay (Rieniets) Schwake was born May 19, 1938, to Frederick and Kathryn (Gerdes) Rieniets in Monticello, Iowa. She was baptized into the Christian faith at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, Monticello, where she received her Christian instruction and was confirmed. Judy graduated from Monticello Public High School in 1956. During school she was an active member of the speech club, winning awards for interpretive reading. She taught Sunday School throughout high school, even attending a class at a place called the Sunday School Teacher’s Institute in Cedar Rapids. She was a member of the Lovell Happy Helpers 4-H Club, clearly inheriting her mother’s love of gardening. During these early years, Judy’s lifetime of learning, teaching, reading, and faith had fully taken root and continued to blossom.
Judy received her two-year elementary school teaching certificate from Wartburg College in 1958, serving as a student teacher at Carey Elementary School in Waverly that year. Once certified, she taught first and second grade at Monona Elementary School from 1958 to 1962, especially loving to teach children the joy of reading. During that time, she continued her education at the University of Iowa, earning her Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1962 with an emphasis in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Judy continued graduate studies in the following years. She served as a Speech Therapist for several county special education departments, including Jones, Clayton, and Delaware Counties, through 1967.
On June 25, 1967, she was joined in marriage to Dr. Ralph D. Schwake at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Monticello. Settling in Dubuque after marriage, Judy served as the speech and hearing clinician for Dubuque Community Schools for five years, until the couple moved to Ralph’s family farm in Sumner in 1972.
On the farm, Judy quickly took over the vegetable garden, which became two gardens, then three. The Schwake family rarely ate store-bought vegetables, since Judy grew and canned and froze almost everything. She loved to sew her own clothes, and always had homemade bread and cookies for her family. Judy was active in the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League, St. John, Spring Fountain, serving in various offices. She taught for many years in the church Sunday school, confirmation classes, and vacation Bible school.
Judy was also active in the local Sumner School District, serving on the Board of Education for nine years, and several as President. Judy was a member of the Vocal Music Boosters and Band Parents. Judy impressed the importance of education and music on her children, reflected in their own lives.
One of her favorite activities was to study God’s Word with her church women’s group, always desiring to study the depth of God’s love and His promise of redemption for those who believe.
After Ralph’s death on September 26, 2021, she continued to live on the family farm until the Spring of 2022, when she moved to Terrace Living at Hillcrest Home in Sumner. She often expressed her appreciation for the wonderful care and attention she received from the Hillcrest staff.
Judy was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Ralph Schwake. She is survived by her brothers, Gary (Jean) of Dubuque, and Warren (Kathy) of Monticello; her children, Dwight (Julia), Roanoke, IL; William, Sumner; David, Madison, WI; and Jonathon (Lindsay), Marquette, MI; and her grandchildren, Maddie and Jacob Bevitt, Grant Schwake and Bennett Dunbar. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
All obituary information has been taken from the funeral home, newspaper or other online resource.
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