Mary "Judy" Ellen Markle

Mary Ellen "Judy" Markle died on November 10, 2024. She was 100 years old. Judy was known to her grandchildren as "Mimi."

Judy was born in Delmont, Pennsylvania to Rev. H. Reed Shepfer and Etta Zoe Shepfer. She often spoke with great reverence about her father, who was a well-loved Lutheran minister. She had two sisters, Nancy (Don) and Jean. Jean passed away early in her life, but Judy maintained a lifelong close friendship with Nancy, even after they moved to separate parts of the country.

A gifted musician, Judy attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music and was one of the few women of that time to earn a degree in Piano Performance. Although she didn't pursue it as a career, she passed to her family a profound appreciation for music, and when successfully persuaded, could play Chopin by memory well into her nineties.

After college, Judy married her high school sweetheart, Lewis Markle Jr. and they relocated to Western New York - first Rochester, then Williamsville, and finally East Concord, where they made their home at Highland Springs, known affectionately as "The Farm." During these years they raised three beloved sons: Lewis III (Rita) was born in 1950, David (Christine) in 1952, and William (Linda Covarrubias) in 1959.

As two self-described "city slickers," we'll never know exactly what possessed Judy and Lew to move to The Farm, but stories from the home they created there together could fill several books. Judy grew every imaginable vegetable, fruit, herb and flower in her sprawling gardens, all entirely organic. They raised beefalo, planted apple orchards and blueberry bushes, and made their own maple syrup. Their farm was also home to many animals over the years, several of whom became esteemed members of the family.

A long time vegetarian, Judy cooked spectacular and nutritious meals, baked her own sourdough bread, fermented her own yogurt and kombucha, and made green smoothies, all thirty years before it was trendy. She also hosted B&B guests for several years, sharing her love of good food, organic gardening, and the beautiful countryside they inhabited.

Judy was an extraordinary pioneer in the world of alternative health. The phrase "ahead of her time" comes up regularly when people describe her. A true lifelong learner, she had a remarkable knowledge of nutrition, Eastern healing traditions, and the power of mind/body medicine. She gave lectures at Rosary Hill College - now Daemen University - on nutrition and natural healing. As time goes by, we continue to marvel at how many of these ideas have been accepted in the medical community and popularized in broader culture. As her granddaughter Elizabeth recently put it, "Again and again, we keep seeing Mimi proven right!"

Those of us lucky enough to call her family witnessed her devotion as a wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Judy's three sons recall her loving generosity, her hard work, her dedication to keeping them healthy and well fed, and her unfailing support at every sporting event, concert, and ski tournament. Her six granddaughters - Elizabeth, Melissa, Sarah (Taddes), Katie, Alyssa (Lloyd), and Kelly - and two great-granddaughters - Isabella and Noemi - all treasure the time spent with her, the values she instilled, and the wisdom she imparted. Many of us have found ourselves in careers that are a direct reflection of her influence, a continuation of the work she did in the world.

Her impact also reaches far beyond her family; the Aurora Waldorf School in West Falls in fact owes its origin in large part to Judy. She introduced the school's future founders, a handful of interested parents in the area, to the writing of Rudolf Steiner and his educational philosophy. AWS was founded a few years later, in 1991, and has since seen hundreds of graduates, including two of Judy's granddaughters. Although her involvement was mostly indirect, the school exists today because of her passion for connecting like-minded people.

The family plans to hold a private graveside service in the spring at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Central Pennsylvania, where Judy's ashes will be buried next to her husband's. Memorial contributions can be made to Aurora Waldorf School Endowment Fund, 525 West Falls Road, West Falls, NY 14170.

Wood Funeral Home offers a site for online condolences at www.woodfh.com