Judith J. Holden

Judith Jones Holden passed away peacefully in her sleep on Sunday morning at Seton Medical Center in Austin, TX. Her children and extended family were nearby, having made visits and said goodbyes.

Judith was born in Austin, TX, in 1939. She was the second child of Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Johanna Jones, with an older brother, David, and a younger sister, Susan, who came along almost exactly a year later. The family lived in a beautiful home west of the University of Texas campus, where Joe Jones taught English and puttered on Waller Creek. The Joneses were very involved with the formation and growth of First English Lutheran Church, and Judith remained an active congregant for most of her life. During her childhood, the entire Jones family traveled the world, living for some time in New Zealand and ultimately circumnavigating the globe on ships like the RMS Queen Mary.

Following graduation from Austin High in 1957, Judith spent some time studying at St. John's College in Annapolis, MD. There she met her first husband, Jeffrey Carr, a student at the Naval Academy. Jeffrey and Judith lived in several places throughout the United States while he served in the Navy. In 1963 they had a son, Scott. Judith was widowed in 1963, and moved back to Austin to live with her parents. Learning of her return, Don Holden, a high school sweetheart, told his friends that the "love of his life" was back in town. Don and Judith wed in 1964, and remained married until his death in 2013. They had two children: Brian and Julie.

Judith's first job was as a patient aide at the Austin State Hospital in the 1960's. She found the work very rewarding, and enjoyed interacting with the variety of patients in her care. In the 70's and 80's, Judith and Don lived in Houston, TX, where Don enjoyed 25 years as a geophysicist for Shell Oil. Judith kept a welcoming home that was known amongst neighborhood kids as a great place for a fantastic meal and delicious baked goods. In the early-80's, she earned a BA from the University of Houston, and embarked on a successful career as a popular, beloved science teacher at Alief Middle School in Houston, TX.

In the early 90's, Judith and Don retired and returned to the Austin area to start a pecan farm on a riverfront property near Webberville, TX. Country life suited Judith; her lifelong love of science and nature shone bright, and she especially enjoyed going down to the Colorado River for a refreshing swim, with her kids and grandkids in tow. She always kept several hummingbird feeders, maintained a small group of feral cats, and was never without her faithful dog, Matilda, by her side. The Holdens have celebrated many happy gatherings at "The Bend" on the river throughout the past twenty years.

Judith is survived by her sister, Susan Jones Sarrett; son Scott Holden and his wife Cheree; son Brian Holden and his wife Melinda; daughter Julie Holden and her husband John Watters. She was beloved Oma to her grandchildren: Davis, Erin, Caughner, and Johanna.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests Tribute donations in Judith's name to the Austin Humane Society, with Tribute Letters going to Brookdale Northwest, Apt. 206; 5715 Mesa Dr; Austin, TX 78731. Memories of Judith can be shared on her obituary page at cookwaldenfuneralhome.com. A memorial service will be held at 2pm on Saturday June 11th at First English Lutheran Church in Austin, TX.