Judith Barbara "Judi" Boston

Judith Barbara Boston, 83, passed away on November 23, 2025, in Waukee, Iowa. Family will greet guests from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 1, 2025, at Iles Brandt Chapel in Dallas Center. The Rosary will be prayed at 4:30 p.m. prior to the visitation. A funeral mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Waukee. Judi will be interred beside her husband in Waukee Cemetery at a later date.

Judi Boston arrived in the world with history rumbling overhead. In 1942, during a World War II air-raid warning, her mother went into labor in a subway bomb shelter in Bay Ridge, New York. Her childhood home held contrasts that shaped her. Judi inherited her father's openness; she once met people in a laundromat and simply brought them home for supper.

When her father's job needed him in Iowa, the family moved west. Unsure where to land after high school, Judi applied to numerous colleges and said yes to Iowa State. It was a difficult fit for Judi as she felt it was much too big. She always joked that she majored in "boys and bridge" while in Ames. She stepped away for a time before finding her place at Drake University, where she graduated with a degree in English and secondary education.

Judi loved secretarial work; it was steady, service-minded, and precise. She worked for Farm Bureau and Iowa State Extension Office and discovered a knack for writing "house organs", small in-house magazines that celebrate everyday people. Judi met Don through his sister while working for Farm Bureau. The relationship delighted her grandfather, a farm boy himself. Everyone thought they were too different- a city girl and a farmer, different churches, and different upbringings. One thing they shared was a strong belief in family. That common belief and deep love for one another kept them going for 54 years. Judi said after Don's passing, "Everyone should have a marriage like that."

Judi had a lifelong passion for the arts. Her eighth grade English class took the train to Manhattan for "My Fair Lady." From that day on, she was hooked. Music was always a great love of Judi's. Les Miserables became Judi's favorite Broadway musical. She also began quilting after a neighbor introduced her to it. She didn't think she could do it "but you put pieces together and suddenly you have a quilt" she said.

Judi and Don created a lasting legacy built on the foundation of love and always being there for those you love. Her favorite job in life was raising her family. Judi is survived by her children: Kim (Ron) Simmons, Jeff (Stacey) Boston, Matt (Erin) Boston, Chip (Teresa) Boston, and Katie (Bryan) Weber; 17 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; brother, Chuck (Carolyn) Fields; sister, Jan (Dick) Johnston; sister in-law, Barb (Art) Kain; brother in-law, Tom Byrnes; many nieces, nephews, and loving family and friends.

She was preceded by her parents, Charles and Marion (Schuhle) Fields; her husband, Don; brother in-law, Marvin (Dee) Boston and sister in-law, Jean Byrnes.

Judi's children would like to extend their appreciation to Hospice of the Midwest for the amazing care of their mother.

Memorials in Judi's name may be directed to the charity of your choice.