Judith Ann Clarke Dreher

NEWPORT NEWS - Judith Ann Dreher of Newport News passed away on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008, while recovering from major surgery.
She was born in Wichita Falls, Texas, on Nov. 30, 1939, to parents Jesse and Edward Clarke. Judith attended North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, and then moved to Dallas, Texas, where she met and married Donald Nelson Dreher on July 13, 1962. They were happily married 29 years before Donald's death in 1991. Together they raised three daughters, Rebecca Lynn, Catherine Louise and Deborah Burke.
She worked as an administrative assistant in the medical field and was a medical transcriptionist for many years. Judith wasn't satisfied with merely knowing how to spell difficult medical terms, she knew what they meant as well. She was a walking encyclopedia on many subjects with an insatiable appetite for knowledge. She wrote numerous stories and poems and we all thought that writing was her true calling. She loved to wordsmith and she was the queen of organization. She had too many interests and talents to possibly list, but a few of her favorites were reading, sewing, crocheting, knitting, volunteering, puzzles, music and history. Some of her signature sewing items included her blue jean quilts and Grammy Jammies for each of her grandchildren, her custom Christmas stockings and she was especially proud of the Grinch costume featured on her church's parade float last Christmas. Judith belonged to the James City Community Church in Williamsburg, Va., and enjoyed making and donating prayer shawls for those in need for her women's ministry group called Martha's Hands and Mary's Heart. She loved and cherished her close friends at church. Judith renewed her love and commitment to God and was baptized in the Lord again last summer. Known as Grammy to her grandchildren, she was loved for her stories, trivia, music and silliness. She had loving and uniquely special relationships with all of her grandkids all of which received their own nicknames from her.
Judith is predeceased by her father, Edward; her father, Elden; and her husband, Donald.
She is survived by her mother, Jesse Scanland of Rio Rancho, N.M.; brother, Roger and wife, Sharon Scanland, of Orem, Utah; sister, Sara and husband, Dick Booth, of Rio Rancho, N.M.; sister, Penni and husband, Tom Pitre, of Cave Creek, Ariz.; brother, Scott and wife, Pauline Scanland, of Santa Fe, N.M.; daughter, Rebecca and husband, Richard Thomas, of Austin, Texas; daughter, Catherine and husband, Michael McKinney, of Yorktown, Va.; daughter, Deborah and husband, Rory Hammond, of San Antonio, Texas; grandchildren, Joey (JoJo), Michael (Enkel), Zachary (Roo), Donovan (Tigger), Rory Jr. (Owl), Annalyn (Piglet), Ethan (eBear) and Jenna (Little bird).
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 29, at James City Community Church in Williamsburg. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, in Amory Funeral Home, Grafton. View and post condolences on our online guestbook at dailypress.com/guestbooks.