Judith Joy (Townsend) O'Brien

Judith Joy O’Brien – 80, Wauconda, Illinois, passed away on September 28, 2020. She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska September 8, 1940 to Reverend Robert and Helen (Kounovsky) Townsend.

Judith graduated from Sidney High School as Salutatorian in 1958, Nebraska Wesleyan University in 1963 and a Masters in Religion from Garrett School of Theology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois in 1966. She was proud to be a legal secretary at the law firm of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Beverly Hills.

She and William James O’Brien were married October 24, 1968 and welcomed daughter Clare Elizabeth three years later. They lived many happy years primarily on the Palos Verdes Peninsula of California.

Judith was a 61 year member of the P.E.O. Sisterhood and served numerous terms as President of her local chapters.

She is predeceased by her parents and in-laws Willie and Tina O’Brien and best brothers-in-law James Slaughter and John Nicholson. Survived by her beloved Bill, cherished daughter Clare Barton and son-in-law Ken, precious granddaughters Elizabeth and Charlotte, dearest sister Rosemary (Townsend) Nicholson, brother Lewis Townsend, and nieces and nephew Laura, Nancy, Jean and Tim.

Her urn will be placed at Memorial Gardens in Estes Park, Colorado in sight of her treasured Rocky Mountains.