Judith Ann Crees

A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and daughter, Judith Ann Crees (Judy), passed away on February 3rd, 2026. She was at home on the farm in Carlisle, Iowa, where she lived, laughed, loved, and kept people in line for almost three decades.

Judy was born on July 16, 1941, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Bernice and Jack Woods. She had two siblings, Jack Woods (who preceded her in death) and Ronnie Woods.

Judy is survived by her loving spouse of 65 years, Carl, her two daughters, Diane (Mark) Witthar, and Lisa (John) Romano, her grandchildren, Mallory (Brad) Olson, Meredith Witthar, Francesca (Skyler) Winters, Christopher Romano, and Evan Witthar, and her great-grandchildren, Hannah, Haven, and Hunter Olson.

Judy met the love of her life, Carl, through her brother Ronnie when they were kids in the neighborhood. According to family legend (and Diane Eilbert), Judy "had a thing for Carl," and Carl started following her around at Nathan Weeks Junior High School. He never really stopped. They were married for 65 long, loving years.

Judy always put others first, and that showed in how she loved her family, and it translated to her chosen profession. She became a registered nurse in 1962 after graduating from the Broadlawns Polk County Hospital School of Nursing. She went on to earn her Bachelor of General Studies at Drake University in 1979, and her Master's of Science in Health Care Administration with Academic Honors in 1992 from the College of St. Francis. She worked as a nurse, caring for people across Iowa, at places like Methodist Hospital and at multiple schools in the Des Moines school system.

When she wasn't working or taking care of her family, Judy loved playing tennis (she loved it even more when she won). She also loved to travel, from going to see Lisa in Omaha to following Diane wherever they moved next before they landed in Arizona. One of her favorite places to travel was Sanibel Island, where she went with "the girls."

She may have complained about the farm sometimes, but it was the perfect place for someone as stubborn as Judy. It was ideal for her other favorite hobby, which was gardening. She'd make a flower garden grow where most people would give up, and she'd get tomatoes to thrive when they would normally wilt. It was the Judy way: she loved things so fiercely they simply had no choice but to grow.

Sassy to the end, Judy was and always will be loved to the moon and back ten times.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.