Judith M. Halberg

Judith Mary (Bruzek) Halberg was born February 6th, 1944 in Alexandria, MN and passed away surrounded by her loving family on June 10th, 2025 in St. Paul, MN.
Judy came into the world with an adventurous and curious spirit. As a young child growing up on a farm, Judy was very rambunctious, climbing trees, playing in the hay mounds, often with her little brother in tow, and getting into other mischief, from which her father often, "running like a deer", had to rescue her. Things changed dramatically when she woke up with rheumatic fever on her ninth birthday. Sick and bedridden, for the next year of her life, adventurous Judy now had to be carried around the house by her father to avoid physical exertion. She also had to be taken out of third grade and homeschooled, but with her excellent reading skills, a great teacher and her mother who was also a schoolteacher, she was able to overcome that rough year, progressing into the fourth grade. Even after recovery, she was still restricted from all athletic activities until after graduation from high school. Shortly after this time, her father injured his back and the family was forced to relocate from the farm to the city. Still unable to participate in athletics, Judy turned to music, learning to play the clarinet and joining the marching band.
Judy graduated from Jefferson High School in 1962. A week later she moved from Alexandria to Fargo, North Dakota to attend Interstate Business College and graduated with a Secretarial/Stenographer diploma in 1964. That same year Judy started her career as an Administrative/Executive Assistant working for the City of Moorhead until she moved down to the Twin Cities in 1968. Now in the big city and no longer restricted athletically, Judy made up for the lost time of her childhood by taking up dancing, hiking and skiing which became a great love of hers. One of her fondest memories was traveling to the Austrian Alps during that time with her best friend. Also, around this time she would meet her future husband Gary at a nightclub. Out having a good time dancing with her friends, Gary came up to her at the last call to ask her to dance. Only three months later he proposed. They were married, May 5, 1973. While on their honeymoon, Judy was in awe witnessing the launch of the Saturn V Project, something she would also recall fondly years later. This further inspired her to more adventure and for the next several years her and Gary would take many trips together, traveling across the country, dancing, skating, skiing and partying with family and their many friends. Also in 1973, Judy started working for her longest employer, Riker Laboratories at 3M, as an executive secretary, where she would remain for 13 years.
Judy and Gary's grandest adventure would start in 1979, with the birth of their first child, Justin. Followed shortly by their second a couple years later, Chris, and their third, a few years after that, Amber. In 1985, a few months after giving birth to Amber, Judy was tragically diagnosed with Epstein Barr. Having to quit her job because she was just too weak to work. Once again, she spent over a year of her life, sick and bedridden. Then miraculously, the pregnancy of their fourth child, Kayla, boosted Judy's immune system enough to allow her the strength to fight off Epstein Barr, and regain her health. Being able to get back up again, she found a new purpose, determined to never give up, and to face life's tragedies with a sunny optimism that she would continue to carry to her end.
In 1988 Judy was able to return to her professional life. For the next 21 years, she enjoyed various jobs as an executive secretary and administrative assistant, always lighting up the front desk with her cheerful demeanor and smile, picking up accolades from her bosses and coworkers, including being named their employee of the year. As much as Judy was proud of her career during this time, her family was where she found her heart truly resided. From the day she became a mother, she lived for every moment she could have with her family. Passing onto her children the things she loved like teaching them how to play music, how to dance, how to ski, as well as the values she held closest like how to love selflessly and forgive easily. As busy as her life always was, she never missed a dinner, a game, a show or even a practice. It was her honor to do whatever she had to, to be there for her husband and children. It was her greatest joy to be a part of their growing up. She loved everything about being "Mom".
In Judy's later years, she would love everything about being "Grandma", and kept much the same pace, staying active, tending her garden, joining the church choir, playing bingo weekly, cruisin' with her husband top down in the convertible, and partying with Gary and their friends. Even after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, Judy continued to show the tenaciousness and determination she had shown all her life to power through. She lived with the myeloma for seven years, but her friends and family wouldn't know it from the way she would continue to always care for them. In the end her optimism for the world never wavered, her heart never turned bitter from the terrible pain, and she danced her way home with gratitude surrounded by the things she loved the most: her music, her friends, and her family. We will all deeply miss her.
She is survived by her loving husband Gary of 52 years; sons Justin (Alena) and Chris (Gian Hill), daughters Amber (Charlie) Drobinski, and Kayla (Francis) Lavelle; grandsons, Lyle, Wallace, and Calvin; granddaughter Jolene; beloved nieces Brittney Bruzek, Grace (Brian) Van Nevel, and Sarah (Eric) Elbe, nephew Geoff Bruzek; sisters-in-law Wendy (Bill) Ames and Trish Bruzek; grand nieces and nephew along with other relatives and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents Grace (Wing) and John Bruzek, and her brother Roland 'Bud' Bruzek.
Visitation will be at Roseville Memorial Chapel - 2245 Hamline Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113
Monday, June 16th 5pm - 8pm
Services Tuesday, June 17th at Roseville Memorial Chapel at 11am with a private burial at a later time at the Scandinavian Cemetery in Forest Lake, MN
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