Judith Ann Bird

Judith Ann (Minnaugh) Bird, 90 passed away on Sunday morning October 12, 2025, at Nightingale Nursing Home, Erie, PA. She is preceded in death by her husband, Charles H. Bird Sr.
A lifelong resident of Erie, she was the youngest daughter of the late James F. and Adelaide E. (O'Brien) Minnaugh, and sister to the late Mary Hanlin and Michael Minnaugh. She is survived by two sisters, Adelaide Sperduto and Beatrice Natale, both of Erie.
She grew up in what was the best of times in Erie. In post WW II Erie PA, hers was a childhood filled with being spoiled as the youngest of a family of five. Her father especially doted on her and allowed her to play hooky, skipping school to take her fishing, much to the chagrin of the Sisters of St. Joseph and Sisters of Mercy. Judy was very grateful for her Catholic education and for the gifted educators that were present at St. Joseph School and Mercyhurst Seminary. Sr. Jean Marie Sullivan, RSM, was forever her teacher, role model and guide. The Sisters of Mercy nearly folded her into their community if it had not been for a good-looking, 1949 Academy High School graduate who won her heart.
On July 4, 1953, Judy married Charles H. Bird, Sr at St. Joseph Church. It made sense since Chuck had the day off. It was both a national holiday conveniently falling on a Saturday, and he worked for her dad at Coca-Cola Bottling. The young couple purchased a house on the developing west side of Erie in 1955; burnt the mortgage in 1977 and spent their marriage there. The 1,100 square-foot home had, at one point, 8 people and a dog under its roof, with only one bathroom! They all made it through.
Chuck and Judy were founding members of St. Jude the Apostle Church. They worked many spaghetti dinners and school events to transform the parish from the former St. Joseph Orphanage to OLCS gymnasium to the beautiful house of worship it is today. They could be counted on to help – and to bring five children, too.
If you were to ask her, she would tell you that her greatest achievement was her five children. Through and through, Judy was Mom. She took no awards for housekeeping. Her favorite phrase was, "Let's clean this place up before your father gets home." Her eyes and heart were on her children, and she gave them everything they needed first. To Judy, the most important thing was her faith. She gently and lovingly passed that faith in God onto her children, making sure that her children had everything they needed to make their lives fruitful. She is survived by them, her legacy: Matthew (Lesa Bradley) Bird of Gettysburg, PA; Charles (Mary Jo Clemons) Bird of Louisville, KY; Mary M. Bird, Akron, OH; James (DeAnna Stefanak) Bird, Hubbard, OH, Frederick (Nancy Neumaier) Bird, Erie, PA. along with her grandchildren Matthew, Kelly, Casey, Zachary, Nicholas, Natalie, Christopher, Daniel, Jay and Tyler, and great grandchildren Jack, Alice, Hunter, Isabella, and Lillian. She was preceded in death by an infant great grandson, Brayden.
For years she volunteered at the OLCS library and was a catechist for the religious education program at St. Jude's. After her children graduated from high school, she worked for the Erie Public Library System and as an associate of Kaufman's Department Store. But most of all, her entire life she was a Catholic. She was faithful, devout, and attentive to God's movement in her life and responsive to those around her. If you wanted something prayed for, you would most definitely ask her. You could be assured of one thing at least. Prayers would be prayed. Her words matched her deeds and her prayers touched the very heart of God.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt Thank You to the awesome staff at both St. Mary's Home and Nightingale. Their many years of dedication to the daily care of Judy was greatly appreciated by the family. James, Elvisa, Pumpkin, and their teams gave the family confidence and comfort in her wellbeing.
Family and friends will be received at Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 W 38th St., on Friday, Oct 17th from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Services will be held there on Saturday, Oct 18th at 9:15 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Peter Cathedral, 230 W 10th St. at 10 a.m.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Erie Catholic School System, The Sisters of Mercy, The Sisters of St. Joseph or St. Jude the Apostle Church.