Judith (Judy) Ann Wendland

Judith Ann Wendland (Judy) arrived on earth on March 9th, 1959 in Overland Park, Kansas, born to Robert and Hazel (Smith) Krekel.   She left her earthly body peacefully on November 30, 2023 to join the Lord after a nearly three-year battle with frontotemporal lobe dementia.  She was a devoted wife and mother who still managed to maintain her personality even as the disease robbed her of her ability to communicate.

After living in the Kansas City area for much of her childhood, Judy’s family moved to Manhattan, Kansas where she graduated from Manhattan High. She was active in sports and competed on the uneven bars with the gymnastics team.

After attending York College in Nebraska, she moved back to Manhattan to attend Kansas State University where she met her future husband Mark while working at The Town Crier bookstore.  Following Mark’s graduation, they were married on June 6th, 1982 and moved to Topeka to start a new life together.  Judy transferred to Washburn University where she was awarded a bachelor’s degree in business.

Upon Judy’s graduation from Washburn, the young couple moved to Kansas City, Missouri where Judy began working in the Actuarial Services Department at Kansas City Life Insurance Company.  After only a couple of years, she was promoted to Director of Actuarial services but also served multiple roles at the company.

In 1988 they bought their first home in Lenexa, Kansas and shortly thereafter in 1990, while still working full time, Judy ushered in their first son, Christian Taylor.  She continued to work while managing a growing household.

In 1996 Judy and Mark moved back to Topeka for Mark's new job, and she soon found herself unexpectedly expecting.  In July of 1997, she welcomed their second son, Jarrett Thomas into their growing family.  She decided to forgo a career move to become a full-time homemaker as raising a family was extremely important to her.  She was active in both boys’ school and Boy Scout functions.

Judy was active at Northland Christian Church, taught Sunday school and enjoyed bible study. She continued to attend a women’s group and even though she couldn’t speak she enjoyed the lessons and the companionship.

Judy was an avid crafter.  She enjoyed cross-stitch, sewing and became a talented quilter, joining a quilt guild and developing many friendships.  Her talent is still on display throughout her home as well as many of her family’s homes.

Judy loved going to the mountains in Colorado for hiking and bird watching (especially hummingbirds) and loved staying at the family cabins.   She adored her German Shepard, Sky, who was supposed to be a family dog, but somehow that relationship became a truly close bond between them.

She was an avid football fan and rarely missed watching her KSU Wildcats and Kansas City Chiefs even when they were not playing well.   Most of her wardrobe was purple, her favorite color.

Judy will be terribly missed by all who knew and loved her.  Judy is survived by her husband Mark and sons Christian and Jarrett.   She is also survived by her two sisters, Debbie Kuhlman and Mary Blake and her brother David Kreckel as well as numerous nieces and nephews.    She is preceded in death by her parents Robert and Hazel and Buena Abernathy, her beloved “Aunt Bea”.  Memorial contributions may be made to [email protected] or to the Wounded War Project .   A celebration of Judy's life will be held from noon-2:00 pm on January 20, 2024 at Northland Christian Church, 3102 N. Topeka Blvd, Topeka Kansas 66617.  Remarks and short time of sharing will begin at 1:00 pm.