Obituary of Judy Lynn Gaerlan

Judy Lynn Gaerlan passed away on Thursday April 7th, 2016 at 11:35am in her home in Watsonville, California at the age of 65. She had been fighting cancer for 10 years. Judy was born in 1950 in Kent, Michigan to Dick and Dolores Mouthaan. She lived in Michigan until she married Frank Gaerlan at the age of 21 on September 25th, 1971 in Rochester, MI. Shortly thereafter, they moved to California where she resided for her entire life, living in Seaside, Salinas, San Jose, Boulder Creek, and Watsonville. Judy met her husband Frank in 1969 while she was on a California bus tour with her close friend Pauline. They met at La Playa Hotel in Carmel where Frank worked. Judy and Pauline were staying in Santa Cruz the rest of the week, so Frank's next day off, he drove up to Santa Cruz to see them and take them up to San Francisco. That was on a Friday and there was an Iron Butterfly concert in the city that night. He proposed that night at the concert, and then dropped them off at airport the next day. They wrote letters back and forth for a year, with Judy coming out to visit in August of 1970. Frank drove her home and stayed in Michigan until they married. They remained married for 45 years. Judy loved being close to water and walking on the beach. She loved butterflies and bird watching and she loved to travel, visiting many countries in Europe, most of the United States, and going on several cruises with her family. Judy had a thirst for life and did not let her cancer stop her from doing what she wanted. She retired working for Santa Cruz County in the probation department after 13yrs. Her colleagues all remember her as being upbeat and positive. Judy is survived by her husband Frank, sons Alex and Andy, her father Dick, her brothers Joe, Rodger, Dan, and her sister Diane. There will be a Visitation and a Rosary held on Friday April 15th, from 5:00-8:00pm and a Memorial Service on Saturday April 16th at 9:00am at Oakwood Memorial Chapel in Santa Cruz, 3301 Paul Sweet Road, 95062. Condolences may be sent to the Gaerlan family at 60 Cabrillo St. Watsonville CA, 95076.