Judith Hancey

Judy Hancey died on April 4 at the Avenues Courtyard after a long illness.

Judy grew up in Clearfield, Utah, a middle child of Jack and Marjorie Lee Hancey. She was a conscientious student, and after high school went to college in Hawaii, then to Utah State University. She married Art Smith; they had a son, Jared, then later divorced. Judy held a number of administrative assistant positions, supporting herself and Jared, while hoping to complete her degree.

In 1979 she married Bruce Wycoff and they had a daughter, Katherine Rose. Judy graduated from the University of Utah in Anthropology and Women's Studies. She and Bruce divorced and remained good friends.

She spent the next few years working at the U of U, then as a librarian at the new downtown library — her favorite job of all.

Judy was like her mother – she liked gardening and traveling, and avoided housework and cooking. She travelled to France, Spain, and Japan. But her most memorable journeys were in red rock country – Canyon de Chelly, Havasupai, and Utah's National Parks. She loved nothing more than hiking in Capitol Reef with good friends. Judy created a network wherever she lived or worked. She knew all the neighbors on her block. Grad students from India came to her Thanksgiving dinners, along with her in-laws and ex-laws. People gravitated to Judy because she was a good listener; they could count on coffee and a conversation on her C Street porch. She rented out rooms to people who became lifelong friends – and some became her helpers as a rare neurological disease, PSP, took over her life.

The last few years of Judy's life would have been intolerable without the love and care of her daughter, Katherine, and the group efforts of Bruce, her sister Kim, Charlie and Claire, Hank, Micah, Sarah, Mariann, and Maya. They made it possible for Judy to attend Katherine's marriage to Micah Niles last fall. Avenues Courtyard's staff, and hospice nurse Christian treated her like family.

Judy is survived by her son Jared Smith, daughter Katherine Wycoff and her husband Micah Niles; siblings Karen Sullivan, Alan Hancey, Kim Hancey Duffy; and grandchildren Maya Jolley and Talmadge Smith. She was "Aunt Jude" to Claire, Liam, Gary, Blake, Paige, and Jake. Judy's best friend, her mother Marjorie, died two years ago at 94.

In Judy's honor, consider contacting legislators to hear about efforts on End of Life Options. Right now it is impossible not to remember Judy's struggle with the debilitating disease that captured the final decade of her life. But that will not define her — ultimately, Judy will be remembered for her kindness.

A celebration of life will be held Friday, April 21 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, Utah. Please use the complimentary valet on the north side of the building.