Judith M. Rowan

Judith Marie "Judy" (Martinelli) Rowan, 67, of San Fernando, California, passed away peacefully on January 10, 2025, in her hometown after a long illness. Born on May 7, 1957, in Glendale, California, Judy was the cherished daughter of Richard and Marjorie Martinelli and the twin sister of James. Together, they shared a lifelong bond and a playful tradition of winning "least look-alike twins" contests.
Judy spent nearly her entire life in the Sylmar and San Fernando area, apart from a few years in Tucson during her husband Tom's Air Force service. Judy and Tom's love story began at St. Ferdinand's elementary school and flourished at Bishop Alemany High School. They married on July 12, 1975, embarking on a devoted partnership filled with love, square dancing, and cake decorating.
A pillar of her church community, Judy dedicated over two decades to volunteering as a religious education teacher at St. Ferdinand's Church, where she nurtured hundreds of children into the Catholic tradition. Professionally, she was an accomplished cake decorator who learned her craft from her mother-in-law, Marie Rowan. Judy carried on Marie's legacy by running "Marie's Party Palace," a beloved cake decorating supply shop, well-known in the entire San Fernando Valley, for many years. Through her classes at the shop, she inspired generations of aspiring decorators.
Judy and Tom also shared a passion for square dancing, leading their local club and dancing across California and Hawaii for more than 20 years.
Judy is survived by her twin brother James (Mari Jo), brothers Robert (Mary), Richard (Carol), and David (Donna) Martinelli, and sister Patty Martinelli (Russ) Homan. She was preceded in death by her parents.
A funeral mass will be held at St. Ferdinand's Church, Maclay and Coronel Streets, San Fernando, on Friday, January 24, at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the L.A. Archdiocese fire relief fund in Judy's memory at https://lacatholics.org/california-fires.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the caregivers from Dynamic Hospice and to Aveanna Healthcare for their compassionate support during Judy's final months. May her memory bring comfort to all who knew her.