Judy K. Haney (Borders-Menning)

Judith “Judy” Kay Haney (Borders-Menning), 71, a beloved mother and sister, passed away on Friday, April 20, 2018. Judy was born in Middletown, OH and preceded in death by her parents Kelly and Ruth Borders (Drake), and her husband, Dwight Haney. Judy is survived by the father of her children, Jimmy Joe Menning; a daughter, Michelle McLeod (Menning) and her husband Randy of Prunedale, CA; a son Jason Menning, who is currently serving in the U.S. Army, and his wife Dulce of Harker Heights, TX; a sister, Jeanne Borders of Middletown, OH; and a brother, Steven Borders of Seattle, WA.

Judy and her sister Jeanne, being only 15 months apart, were always close friends. They enjoyed the same things, music, dancing, riding bikes around the neighborhood, playing with cousins and friends. If you look at the pictures from those years, you will see Judy and Jeanne sitting on a blanket on the lawn of their childhood home. They talked and played while Judy painted and drew. She was destined to be an artist from the very beginning and had a special affinity for making paper dolls. Their mom told them to be nice to each other, value each other, and remember there is nothing more important than family. In 1970, after the tragic and sudden loss of their father, Kelly Borders, they were there for each other and vowed that they would stay that way. Even though Judy’s travels took her far from Middletown, they remained close friends. They visited as often as possible, and still enjoyed some of the same things as when they were children. Their Mother would always tell them that no one would ever be closer or a better friend than a sibling and she was so right.

A younger brother, Steven Borders, was born in 1960. Being a bit older, Judy loved pushing Steven around in a stroller, taking walks in the neighborhood. Taking care of a younger brother prepared her for her most important job and one she loved the most; taking care of her own children, Michelle and Jason.

Judy was a graduate from Lemon Monroe High School in 1965. She married her first husband Jimmy. Jimmy’s engineering work for Westinghouse took them from Ohio to several assignments across the United States, as well as overseas trips to places like France, where her daughter Michelle was born, Turkey, Argentina, and Brazil. In between the international assignments, the home base was Southern California, where her son, Jason was born.

They enjoyed the outdoor California life-style, traveling up and down the coast in an RV, visiting Ensenada, Mexico, and all the way up the coast to the “Crookedest Little Street” in San Francisco, Lombard Street. They enjoyed riding their motorcycles through the hills of Los Angeles, and visiting the numerous tourist attractions.

In 1979, when Jimmy’s work took them on an assignment to Brazil, Judy found out her mom had died. She and the children returned to Ohio while Jimmy remained in Brazil.

Her daughter also graduated from Lemon-Monroe High School and moved to California. Michelle’s brother joined her a few years later. After Judy’s second husband, Dwight Haney, passed away in 1993 Judy left Ohio to join her children. She lived with them in Mountain View, CA and they eventually settled in San Jose, CA, for 30 years.

In 1995, she became a licensed optician and began a new career. Judy enjoyed a long career in the optical field. She felt proud and accomplished wearing her white lab coat. She loved helping customers pick out the right frame and select the best lens for them to see life through. She also worked as a Secret Shopper for a couple of retail chains, and as a Food Demonstrator for several contractors.

Judy’s son Jason joined the U.S. Army right after he graduated. Judy was a very proud mom. In 2002, during Jason’s tour in Texas, he met and married his wife, Dulce. Judy was comforted and a little relieved as now Jason wouldn’t be alone as the military moved him around the world. Michelle and Judy were able to visit Jason and Dulce while he was stationed in Germany. Judy said it was one of the best trips of her life. She was excited that we stopped in France where Michelle was born. Judy was looking forward to seeing Jason retire from the military this summer.

While living in San Jose, Michelle met and married Randy. When the Onizuka Air Force Based closed in 2011, his work took the family to Chula Vista, CA, for a short time, and then to Prunedale, CA. Judy loved to walk the rolling hills of the community, stopping to talk with neighbors on her hours-long strolls.

All her life, Judy grew up with cats. During her childhood, her favorite was a gray and white long-haired Persian named Fluffy. It was no surprise when, in 1994, Michelle went to the vet to adopt a cat and then called to ask, “Can we have two?” She had fallen in love with a female kitten, but it turns out her brother was the last of the litter. Learning the importance of family from her mother and grandmother, Michelle could not separate brother and sister and leave him behind. The family enjoyed the company of Prissy and Rascal for nearly 20 years.

She was a free-spirited artist who enjoyed painting with oils, acrylics, water colors. She loved to draw and sketch. She spent many hours crocheting shawls to throw over her shoulders when she was cold and baby blankets (hoping to need one for her own) to give them to family and friends. She loved to paint Christmas ornaments, garden gnomes, stepping-stones and frogs for her garden and any other creative outlet available to her.

Her children also inherited Judy’s creative talents. Jason is a talented artist working primarily in charcoal drawing, pencil sketching, and computer graphics. Michelle loves photography and creating jewelry. Judy loved all of Michelle’s jewelry creations and was her biggest customer.

She loved the traveling and the beautiful outdoors – camping, horses and our cats; Prissy and Rascal who are keeping Judy company in the next life, and Elvis and Priscilla who are wondering when Judy is coming home.

She was a huge fan of the artist, Thomas Kinkade - Painter of Light. His traditional paintings of bridges, churches, cityscapes, estates, and gardens light up our hearts and brighten our spirits. Just before Judy passed, her sister came to visit. Judy, Jeanne, and Michelle enjoyed walking through the streets of Carmel and going to the many art galleries that line the streets, including a Thomas Kinkade gallery. Having her own gallery was Judy’s life-long dream.

Judy grew up with flowers and gardens. Her mom had a huge garden and planted, harvested, and canned vegetables each summer. Judy loved to water and tend to her tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and herbs. You often found her just sitting in a chair by her garden, relishing the warmth of the sun, enjoying the garden gnomes, stepping-stones, and frogs that she painted…and daydreaming.

She was waiting for grandchildren of her own. But she was blessed to inherit a large clan of four grandchildren – Julie Riley and her husband Allen, Cheryl McKeel and her husband Bill, Kirstin McLeod and Matthew McLeod – and three great grandchildren – Hayley, Rien, and Luke – through her daughter’s marriage to Randy.

These things and the people in her life made her happy.

Judy will be deeply missed and will forever be remembered in our hearts. She was a beautiful soul who touched the hearts of everyone around her.