Judy Ann Salas

Judy Ann Salas, 47, of Othello, lost her 17-year battle with Scleroderma on Feb. 21, 2009.

Judy was born on Aug. 8, 1961, in Seattle to Dock R. and Erma (Milliken) Morris. The family settled in Royal City in 1971. While attending Royal City High School she met Gilbert Salas. They married on July 5, 1980. Judy was at first a home maker and a mother. She went to work for the Avalon Care Center in Othello as a nutrition assistant. She then transferred to Terrace Heights (now Columbia Crest Care and Rehabilitation Center) in Moses Lake, where she worked as a nutrition assistant and as an attendant and secretary. Her condition forced her retirement in 1992.

Judy’s passion was her family. She enjoyed anything they did together. She was especially fond of fishing and horseback riding. She enjoyed crocheting and many arts and crafts, giving the joys of her labor to family and friends. She was an award winning dart thrower and competed all over Washington and into Oregon. Judy liked to travel to the ocean to collect shells and sand dollars, to Mexico and, more recently, to Hawaii to watch her eldest son get married. She got joy from her porcelain doll collection and she took great pride in keeping a clean and tidy home for Gilbert and her boys. Judy will be remembered as a willful woman who made her family responsible for the task in front of them, whether it be studying and doing their homework or finishing the household chores before going off to fish or ride. Also, Judy was very fond of her dogs Trouble and Bandit.

Judy was preceded in death by her father, Dock, and an aunt, Sharon. She is survived by her mother Erma Cox of Moses Lake, her husband, Gilbert, of Othello, her sons Gilbert Jr. (Kelly) of San Diego, Calif., Jeremy of Moses Lake and Michael Lee of Spokane; her brothers Lyle Lee Morris, Jody Morris and Daniel Cox, all of Moses Lake, her sisters June Rhyne of Moses Lake, Julie Zyph of Everett, Wash., and Julia Zundel of Butte, Mont., three grandsons and numerous nieces and nephews.

A time for final visitation has been set aside at Stevens Funeral Chapel on Tuesday from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m.

A celebration of her life will be held on Wednesday at 11 a.m., at Stevens Funeral Chapel. You are invited to sign the guest book and share a sentiment with the family at stevensfuneralchapel.com. Memorials in Judy’s name are suggested to the National Scleroderma Foundation, C/O Stevens Funeral Chapel.