Judith "Judy" Schimmel

January 12, 1947 — March 24, 2024

Prescott, Wisconsin

Nothing inspired more anxiety in Judy than the thought of people driving in bad weather, so it was fitting that she passed away peacefully during a snowstorm. The irony was not lost on her family.

Judith JoAnn was born to Grace (Raschke) and Charles Rohrig on January 12, 1947 in Watertown, SD where she was later joined by younger siblings Jan and Jerry, much to her delight. During her early years in Watertown she was challenged by the nuns at Immaculate Conception Catholic school, always an excellent student in class and at studying the piano. While there, she also acquired a lifelong catholic school hangover, including a deep seated fear of rulers anywhere near her knuckles. Judy then attended Watertown High School where she continued to excel academically, won numerous accolades for gifted piano performances and joined the Tucks sorority. Sorority life wasn't something she liked to discuss, however being a cool, cat-eyed glasses wearing, bouffant hair perfection, sorority girl of the sixties needs to be respected.

After graduating high school in 1965 Judy met a boy, had four kids, and like many liberated women of her generation, decided it was time to move on from the starter marriage and get serious. While enjoying the leisurely lifestyle of being a single mom to four perfect children, attending college and working full-time as a bookkeeper at Kmart, she met Mark Schimmel. He was no blue light special, this guy was the Saks Fifth Avenue of men. Mark endured the delightful behavior of her sweet angels, held her hand through a very difficult battle with cancer and then married her in 1983.

Making their home in St.Paul, they soon welcomed another sweet angel to the brood. Shortly after, their cross country adventure following Mark's career began, moving to Albuquerque, San Diego, back to Cottage Grove and last year to Prescott, WI. And if you've never been on a roadtrip with Judy through the Rockies, in a torrential downpour, with an infant, you haven't lived.

There are so many great stories of Judy's sometimes difficult, sometimes heroic and sometimes magnificently normal life to share, but there are also just those things that made her, well, her. Having worked in accounting and finance most of her career, she never met a math problem she didn't like. Most people grab a calculator, she'd pull out a postulate or theorem, she was analytical to a fault, extremely well read and to hear her play the piano was divine. All these talents live on in her perfect grandkids, a little pack of math loving, book reading, problem analyzing, piano playing mini-me's.

Talents aside, Judy's real sport was shopping, hitting her stride every Christmas. The yearly tradition of listening for the muffled cries of small grandchildren buried under an avalanche of wrapping paper could be daunting, thankfully she always managed to save them just in time. The gifts were big, but her heart was bigger.

Most importantly, she loved her family. She shared over 40 wonderful years with the love of her life, was so proud of her kids and loved her grandkids more than any grandma could. She will be so missed, but all the great memories and shopping moves she taught us, will remain forever.

Judy passed away on March 24, 2024 at 77. She was preceded in death by her parents Charlie and Grace and her nephew Max Wenzel. She is survived by her husband Mark, siblings Jan Wenzel (Tim) and Jerry Rohrig (Kathy), children Brian Ackerman, Carol Kehner (Justin), Scott Ackerman (Gretchen), Mike Ackerman, Kacie Klym (Bryce), her grandchildren Hannah, Jake, Ben, Logan, Holden and Raeya, and her pups Greta and Gus (her favorite children) and many other friends and loved ones. We ask that you do not respect our privacy at this time, we would love to hear from you and share your memories of this amazing woman we were lucky enough to have in our lives. A private service will be held later this spring.

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Judith "Judy" Schimmel

January 12, 1947 — March 24, 2024

Prescott, Wisconsin

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