Judy Bailey McIntire, 76, passed away on February 7, 2023 in Mesa, Arizona.
Judy was born in Moline, Illinois in 1946 to John and Lucille Lauger Bailey. Her family was proud of its Scandinavian heritage and the tight-knit community that supported each other there.
She graduated from Moline High School in 1964 and attended the University of Kansas, where she met Mason McIntire in her junior year. A fellow student in the Business Administration department, she and Mason began dating and he proposed a year later.
They were married in 1968 after she graduated with her Bachelors Degree in Personnel Administration from KU, and lived in several locations during the early years of Mason’s army training, including Kansas City, San Antonio and Los Angeles.
They started a family and moved to Mound City when Mason took over McIntire Lumber, and raised their daughters, Heidi and Jill, in Mound City. Judy spent a decade as a stay-at-home mom before she returned to the work force as a grant writer for Northwest Health Services. She later became the Human Resources director, and spent the majority of her rewarding career recruiting physicians and managing personnel for Northwest Health.
Judy loved her United Methodist Church family, attended faithfully, and served in a variety of volunteer capacities. She was active in many social organizations, including Gamma Phi Beta at KU, Beta Sigma Phi and Tuesday Club in Mound City.
She loved older homes, and she and Mason bought The Glenn House across the street after the girls left for college. They restored and renovated it, and were caretakers of the historic building for nearly 30 years. She loved her neighbors on Mill Street and enjoyed morning coffee and evening potlucks for years.
Judy and Mason played co-ed volleyball in the ‘80’s when Mound City started an indoor league. They may not have celebrated many championships, but they celebrated each other’s birthdays together for decades, calling themselves “The Birthday Club.”
Judy was generous with her time and resources, a savvy businesswoman, and unapologetic of her political views on democracy. She attended a stockholder’s meeting for Casey’s general store out of state, and suggested they build in Mound City, which they later did.
Judy was a volunteer with Meals on Wheels, and could often be found volunteering to pick grapes at the vineyards in Mound City. She loved her six grandchildren in Texas and Colorado and enjoyed visiting them and keeping up with their various activities.
Judy was an adventurous traveler, and has been to Africa, Australia, most of Western Europe and the United Kingdom, Hawaii, Alaska, Brazil, the Panama Canal and Mexico to name a few. Her favorite vacation was to Minnesota every year, where she vacationed as a child and took her family as an adult. She and Mason began wintering in retirement in Mesa, Arizona, where they quickly bonded with other happy active retirees.
Judy processed each bit of grim medical news she was given, remaining dry-eyed and without a fuss. She simply went about dying as she went about living: zero drama, a positive outlook, and a no-nonsense attitude. She exhausted all methods of treatment, while tying up her loose ends and seeking the sunshine of Arizona in her final days.
She and Dave Peterson of Anoka, Minnesota, met on the tennis courts of Carriage Manor in Arizona, the winter after they had both lost their spouses. They enjoyed spending time introducing each other to their neighbors, friends and families. Judy collected friends like precious jewels and made a point to always send a Christmas card every year and to reach out to distant family when traveling.
She wanted to be remembered for her ability to be joyful and that happiness is a choice. She also wanted to be remembered that she was always willing to make a chicken casserole to take to the church for potluck Sunday. She felt that everyone has the ability to choose joy and overcome adversity.
She felt strongly about her faith and she always said she knew where she would be going. Judy’s life lessons: Be practical. Be thrifty. Be generous. We would like to think that she is enjoying a glass of Merlot on an eternal porch swing, with her grape lights lit, and catching up with friends and family.
Judy is survived by daughters, Heidi (Paul) Shaver of Colleyville, Texas and Jill (Nathan) Green of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; six grandchildren, Logan, Landon and Lauren Shaver and Sam, Will and Miles Green; and stepsister, Kaydee Johnson of LeClaire, Iowa. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mason McIntire in 2019 and her parents, John and Lucille Bailey.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at 11:00 am at the Chamberlain Funeral Home in Mound City, MO, with family greeting friends beginning at 10:00 am. A private family inurnment will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery.
