Judith “Judy” Ann (Eldredge) Fakkel, age 84, passed peacefully on February 20, 2021 at her home in McKinney, Texas under the care of Hospice. She was born on November 11, 1936 in Medford, Massachusetts to Chandler and Edith (Roberts) Eldredge and is survived by her husband, Richard Fakkel; Daughter and son-in-law, Wendy & Greg Dutile of Pukalani, Maui; Son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Shana Fakkel of McKinney, Texas; Grandchildren: James and Chelsea (Fakkel) Chapman, Peter Fakkel, Chandler Fakkel and Piper Fakkel; Great-grandchild: Lillian Chapman; and half brothers Norman, Robert, and William Eldredge. She was preceded in death by her sister, Ruth Fraelic; and parents, Chandler Eldredge and Edith (Roberts) Jansky.
As a young child, Judy enjoyed dancing. She was accomplished in ballet but excelled in tap dancing and, despite her arthritis could still, “shuffle off to Buffalo” into her eighties. Judy graduated from Everett High School in 1954. Her high school yearbook states, “Judy’s sweetness, personality and ability all rolled into one assures our Judy of success.”
After high school Judy attended Mount Ida College in Newton, Massachusetts where she took classes in swimming (she was a great swimmer), and secretarial studies. She subsequently worked as a secretary for Vanderweil Engineers in Boston where she met her eternal companion with whom she would spend nearly 63 marvelous years.
She married Richard Leonard Fakkel on September 6, 1958 and raised two children in Sharon, Massachusetts. Together, Dick and Judy happily pursued their shared interest in mineral collecting and then antiquing. They were the owners of Lakeside Antiques operated from their home in Sharon, Massachusetts for over 30 years until they relocated to Texas in 2004 to be near their four grandchildren. In Texas, they continued buying and selling antiques until 2019.
An avid genealogist, Judy researched her ancestry from books in the Boston Library before the advent of the internet made searching easier. An enthusiastic Mayflower descendant, Judy traveled as far north as Maine in the 1970s in an effort to track down her fourth great-grandparents.
On an evening in 1980, two missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knocked on her door and Judy welcomed their message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. She and Richard were baptized in 1981. Judy had a testimony of her Savior and looked forward with faith to spending time with her family into the eternities.
She was an animal lover, especially cats, but was kind and gentle to all living things. She was also a member of the Audubon Society and enjoyed birdwatching. She enjoyed gardening, and she had an extensive knowledge of trees, plants, and flowers. She loved the color blue, a reflection of the ocean and lakes she frequented during her years living in New England.
Judy was known for her love of resplendence and of enjoying the finer things in life. She was elegant, her style classic, and her demeanor humble. She was a meticulous housekeeper, wonderful cook, and had a flair for interior design. She used the resources around her to create beautiful things, a skill she passed on to her daughter. She had an eye for hue and could match shades of colors without having a sample in front of her. She enjoyed collecting and instilled a love of collecting in her children and grandson-in-law.
Judy had an appreciation for literature—you could often find her reading novels by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. She also loved the fine arts as well as the performing arts—in her youth she enjoyed painting, a hobby which inspired her son as an artist, as well as dancing, a passion passed down to her granddaughter. Judy loved to attend Broadway musicals (her favorite was CATS and she could recite portions from the poem by T.S. Eliot). She had a unique talent of identifying movie actors which added to her family’s love of movie trivia.
Above all, she was a dedicated mother and grandmother. As a young grandmother she decided to set up "special days" with each grandchild one-on-one, and planned to do with them their favorite activities and serve their favorite meals or go out to a special restaurant. Always thinking of others, she was generous and thoughtful in gift-giving. She always knew how to pick out the perfect gift for anyone for any occasion. Her benevolence was appreciated by St Jude’s hospital to which she gave generously.
Judy was a loyal and compassionate friend. She cherished the friendships she made with her sisters at church and especially in the antiquing community. Judy was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and valued her many years teaching the young children in Primary. She served as Primary President, in the Stake Primary and in many Relief Society callings. While she served as the Enrichment Counselor in charge of homemaking activities, Judy’s talents shone in making myriad crafts including homemade greenery wreaths and other decor made from backyard materials, french-wired bows, tole painting and ornaments to name a few.
A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 27, 2021 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1020 N Lake Forest Dr, McKinney, TX 75071 for family and friends. The service will also be live-streamed. Follow the links below and select View Fakkel Funeral.
From a PC/Mac/Mobile Device: http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/Events/mckinneytexasstake
From a Smart TV/Streaming Device that has a Browser: http://bit.ly/mkchurchstream
The family wishes to thank those who stayed at Judy's bedside in her final weeks on earth. They would also like to express their deepest gratitude to the hospice nurses, Toni and LaKenya, who cared for Judy's physical needs, keeping her comfortable to the very end.