Judy Ann Thorgaard passed away in her sleep, with joy and peace in her heart, on the evening of July 30th, 2025, at Grand Boulevard Rehabilitation Center in Miramar Beach, Florida. After having a stroke in the spring of 2024, she was faced with challenges and further illnesses which she met with incredible strength, an unwavering spirit, and the support of her loving family.

On April 6th, 1954, Judy Ann Towsley was born to Donald Dean Towsley and Frederica Foster Towsley at Elmendorf Air Force Base, in Anchorage, Alaska. As her father's military career took them all over the world, she notably remembered getting her tonsils removed while they were stationed at Wheelus Air Base in Tripoli, Libya, when she was five years old. Judy's favorite things about her youth included the opportunities to learn new things in school; she often would give her sisters a hard time, by trying to get them to help with chores so that she could spend time doing her schoolwork instead.

Judy spent most of her adolescence growing up and living in Arkansas. She raised her three sons in Arkansas and then she eventually moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in the early 90s. It was there that she met the love of her life, Fairbanks native, Terrence Thorgaard. Judy and Terry were married on February 25th, 1994, at Freedom in Christ Ministries Church in North Pole, Alaska. They lived and raised their daughters together in Fairbanks, Alaska until they moved to Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, to be closer to their family in the lower 48.

In the early 2000s, Judy worked as a school secretary for Fairhill Christian School, where she played a key part in supporting students, parents, teachers, and administrators. She loved having the chance to sow into the community alongside her coworkers and friends as she believed that education is an important foundation for our lives. After moving to Florida, she built upon her ordained ministry and counseling experience by attending and graduating from Ministry Training College at Christian International Family Church. Her lifelong passion for helping others led her to work for a local physical therapy office owned and operated by her dear friends. After some time, she went to work for Walmart, specifically in the Vision Center. She found joy in being a part of helping others regain the ability to see better with the assistance of contacts and glasses. Judy was inspired by her coworkers to become an apprentice optician. She worked in both Walmart and Sam's Club Vision Centers until she retired a few years ago. She enjoyed the remaining years of her life by spending time with her loved ones, doing some of her favorite things, and catching up on all that she couldn't do while she was working.

She is survived by her husband of 31 years, Terrence Thorgaard, her children Richard Garringer, Donald Garringer, Yancey Garringer, Rebekah Thorgaard and Aimee Thorgaard, her sisters Dona Edman and Debbie Nailling, her nephews Shawn Edman, Scott Nailling, Kyle Nailling, and Dylan Nailling, as well as numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, and grand nieces and nephews; whom she loved and cherished dearly.

A celebration of life will be held on August 24th, 2025, at 1:00 PM CST (10:00 AM AKDT) at Vision Church in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. The celebration will be streamed virtually from the church's YouTube channel for family members and friends to attend and celebrate from wherever they are. (The direct streaming link will be provided to the family members closer to the time and posted Terry and Judy's Facebook profiles.)

Our family is eternally grateful for all the wonderful doctors, nurses, certified nursing assistants, respiratory/physical/occupational therapists and staff at all the facilities that helped to care for Judy throughout her final years.