Judy Walker (Judith Ann Driessen Walker) played a great “no trump” bridge hand on June 27, 2026, when she passed peacefully while sitting in her big, comfy chair. Judy was born on March 30, 1940, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Joseph H. Driessen and Geraldine Gerster Driessen. She died at the age of 86 from natural causes.
Judy, her brother Charles and her sister Mary Jo primarily grew up in St. Paul. Between 1950 and 1955, Judy’s family moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Judy got to be the new girl in town and enjoyed the experience very much. The family eventually moved to California in 1961.
At the age of 21, Judy embarked on the adventure of joining Western Airlines (now Delta Air Lines) as a stewardess/flight attendant. She flew for 23 years and retired in 1984.
It was at Western Airlines that Judy met her future husband, Stewart Walker. They married on Sept. 23, 1969. Stewart died on Jan. 18, 2000. They were married for 31 years.
In 1987, Judy became a volunteer with Voices for Children, the Boulder County CASA program. CASA volunteers are Court Appointed Special Advocates who look out for the best interests of abused and neglected children in the family court system. What began as a volunteer position quickly became a passion project and a second career for Judy. In 1989, Judy stepped into the role of program manager, joining Executive Director Marsha Caplan. Together, they built a training program for CASA volunteers and grew the organization. Judy considered this collaboration with her friend and colleague Marsha to be one of her proudest accomplishments.
Following her retirement from Voices for Children in 2006, Judy spent a great deal of time on golf courses with Stew. She also enjoyed knitting and reading. As a Master Gardener, Judy cultivated stunning gardens at their Wonderland Hill home. During these years, she also began playing duplicate bridge. She took lessons, read widely, played often and competed in tournaments. Eventually, she earned American Contract Bridge League Life Master status, an accomplishment of which she was particularly proud. Bridge remained Judy’s way to connect with others and have fun, and she treasured her bridge community.
Judy is survived by four stepchildren, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Over the years, she prepared copious amounts of barbecue ribs for this crew, who greatly appreciated them. Her family and friends were blessed to have her in their lives.