Born in 1940 to Elmer Zeller and Ethel Hildeman, Judy grew up in northeast Portland, Oregon, graduating from Beaverton High School and the University of Oregon. In her 20’s, Judy moved to Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood and began what would be a 40+ year career as a flight attendant with Northwest Airlines.
Judy’s love of aviation and flight continued into her retirement as an avid supporter of the Museum of Flight (Tacoma), the Evergreen Aviation Museum (McMinnville, OR), and the Pearson Air Museum (Vancouver, WA). She was honored to be invited to donate her collection of Northwest Airlines (NWA) memorabilia and flight attendant uniforms to both their corporate museum in Minneapolis and to the Museum of Flight, and was active in the NWA flight attendant retirees’ group.
Judy enjoyed NFL and collegiate football, cheering on both the Seahawks as a long-time ‘12th Man’, the University of Washington Huskies, and the Oregon Ducks.
As a long-time Queen Anne neighbor, she enjoyed volunteering her gardening skills at ‘Rachel’s Playground.’
Another major passion involved participating in the Portland Rose Festival’s annual Medallion Hunt in May/June each year, which challenged her researching skills and knowledge of Portland/Vancouver area history, to piece-together clues with her sisters and other family members, to search for the hidden prize.
Judy is survived by sisters, Jane (Zeller) Barfield and Ruth (Zeller) Menely; nieces and nephews: Judy (Barfield) Larson, Greg Barfield, Valerie Menely, and Matt Menely; great-nieces and nephews: Christopher Barfield, Sarah (Larson) Colville, Elsa (Larson) Weber, Ingrid (Larson) Thieman, Signe (Larson) Schierman, Miles Menely, and Bella Joachim; and nine great-great nieces and nephews.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.9.6