Mrs. Judith Ortiz Cofer, age 64 of Zebina Road, Louisville, died Friday morning, December 30, 2016 at her residence.

A native of Hormiguerros, Puerto Rico, Judith was a daughter of the late J. M. Ortiz Lugo and Fanny Morot Ortiz. She was a retired Professor of English and creative writing with the University of Georgia. Judith was a prolific literary writer in multiple genres, and received many awards for her writing and teaching. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother.

Judith was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her loving husband, Charles John Cofer of Louisville; daughter, Tanya Cofer of St. Simons; brother, Rolando Ortiz of West Palm Beach, FL; grandson, Elias John Ruderfer of St. Simons; son in law, Isidor F. Ruderfer of St. Simons; brother in law, Jerry W. Cofer of Louisville; sister in laws, Diane Cofer Barnes and Julie Cofer Sargent of Louisville; nephew, Alexander Ortiz of Washington, DC; cousin, Kenneth Rodriguez of Louisville; many family members in Louisville, Puerto Rico and Augusta.

The Cofer family will receive friends 3:00 to 5:00 PM Saturday, December 31, 2016 at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Louisville City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to the American Cancer Society.

You may sign the family's personal guestbook online at www.taylorfhlouisville.com.

Taylor Funeral Home & Cremation Care of Louisville is in charge of arrangements.~~The Augusta Chronicle - December 31, 2016

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Augusta Chronicle on Dec. 31, 2016.

Memories and Condolences
for Judith Cofer

9 Entries

Trela Anderson

May 22, 2017

Professor Cofer made the two years I spent at UGA life changing. She believed in me as a writer and offered encouragement and love when I felt lost. I'll never forget her. Rest in peace, Professor Cofer.

Richard Wright

January 26, 2017

My praise for Judith Ortiz Cofer comes from a Mattawa, Washington, freshman English class. We read "American History" a few days ago. As most
of the students are Hispanic, the story's character really reached out to them. Cofer has an amazing talent for involving the reader and will be missed. Rest in peace.
Richard Wright
Substitute teacher

Walter Evans

January 19, 2017

I remember Judy Cofer more clearly than almost any of the 10,000 plus students I taught at Augusta College (ASU, GRU, Augusta University). I can't imagine that even one loved life more passionately or engaged it more intensely, more profoundly than she.
I got to know Judy and her husband John during a spring 1973 Humanities class, and a year later, after her daughter was born, in a course on the modern British novel. Slender, not too tall, with the slightest lilt of an accent, olive skin she proudly traced to an Italian great-grandmother, her mobile face framed in waves of thick shoulder-length black hair, dark eyebrows, heavy lids over eyes flashing between delight, doubt, anger, wonder, sometimes pretending to be demure. Her quicksilver emotions could lead Judy to wholeheartedly damn and praise the same idea, poem, story, author, or acquaintance in a single breath, but she was graced with the true writer's giftwhen she chose to employ itof seeing herself, her ideas, and feelings from both inside and outside. Caught, or catching herself, in colliding inconsistencies she might giggle or laugh or simply smile a perfectly irresistible half-embarrassed smile. Ultimately she didn't care. She willingly followed logic and reason as long as they led wherever she wanted to go, but her true lodestar remained her heart. She maintained a fierce devotion to her husband, daughter, brother, parents, two cousins who became virtual sisters, kinfolk anywhere. She always treasured her Puerto Rican roots and culture, yet felt her life truly began only when marriage liberated her from an adolescence dominated by the strictest of Hispano-Catholic values.
After her Augusta College mentor, poet Charlie Willig, convinced her to switch majors from Sociology to English she began exploring her own writing and published two epigrammatic poems in 1974 in the second issue of the college's literary magazine Sand Hills. To me the poems didn't seem promising, but Charlieand Judyproved far wiser than I. Throughout four subsequent decades she brilliantly exploited an uncanny gift for passionately viewing life, herself, others in the raw, while simultaneously recasting all through her personal imaginative lens. On that foundation her unrelenting work ethic allowed her to build a career of international significance.
In recent years Judy's path and mine didn't often cross. When they did Judy remained the Judy I'd always known, a shade more mature, a touch less mercurial, her passion for family, for her writing, for life as searing as ever. Unforgettable.

Lester Langley

January 13, 2017

Hers was a beautiful and powerful voice from the island of Puerto Rico, a reminder to us that what matters in our identity lies in our hearts and souls.

Rebecca McClanahan

January 3, 2017

Judith was a spirited and beautiful presence in the lives of so many readers and fellow writers. Please accept my sympathy in this great loss.

Janice Edens

January 2, 2017

I hadn't seen Judith Cofer in many years, since she moved on from the college where we taught together. She was such a powerful, energetic presence, and a powerful writer, and I'm saddened to hear of her death. My condolences to the family, especially Tanya--she talked about you often.

December 31, 2016

Judy was a brilliant presence in the world. My condolences. Chase Twichell

A B

December 31, 2016

May God strengthen the family during this distressing time and provide his peace to you all. My condolences. Phillippians 4:6,7.

Paula Nelson

December 30, 2016

Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Mark and Paula Nelson

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