I had the pleasure of having a hot drink and a wonderful chat at Jitter Beans with Judy Ricketts to talk to Judy and to recognize her as a valuable volunteer at Whitevalley Community Resource Centre.
Judy’s husband asked her what she would do when he passed away, she said that she would like to volunteer with the seniors in the community, she held true to her word after he passed in 2018. Before the pandemic she enjoyed her role helping with the breakfast program and after the Pandemic she returned as a dish washer at our lunch program and special events. “The invaluable services that Whitevalley Community Resource Centre do in the community to support Seniors is awesome and amazing”
Judy values the friendships and connections that she has made while volunteering, she enjoys helping others and it helps her feel complete, happy with her social personality.
Judy and her husband moved to Lumby as her husband was a logger, they built their home here on their own. Her family enjoys that she continues to live in this home which is grounding for all the memories that were made there. The tradition continues of building your own home; with the son and Daughter in-law building on the same property and her Grandson building his own home in the area as well. The logging industry has become an important role in her family as her son continues to work in the industry. Judy also worked in tree nursery industry for 25 after the kids graduated high school.
Judy was a Domestic Engineer for her family while her Son and Daughter were young and she feels that was a blessing to be able to stay home and care for them. The friendly competition to get her driver’s license before her daughter had Judy getting her driver’s license at the age of 40, she did get hers first.
Growing up as a small-town girl in Northern Saskatchewan helped to make Lumby feel like home. Enjoying the simple life and building a strong and connected family, doing everything together.
Some of the fondest memories is taking road trips with her husband with a 5th wheel doing adventures around the north and in Canada, trying not to drive the same road twice.
As a two-time Cancer survivor, wife of almost 55 years, Grandmother of 5, Great Grandma to a sweet little girl. Judy credits her health and feeling young to keeping active in her own home, garden and taking care of herself; keeping in touch with Friends and family far and wide
Life is too short, accept and be kind to others, live with no regrets; are some of the advices Judy lives by.
Judy was camera shy for this article, so you will have at catch her kind smile around the community.
