Judith Birrell

Judith Ann Cary Birrell passed away on August 6th, 2022 at her home in Tucson, Arizona. She was 81 years of age, just two weeks short of her 82nd birthday. This beautiful soul left us to join her husband Joseph Birrell, daughter Catherine McClellan, parents Harold and Virginia Cary and brother James Cary, to finally rest in peace after a two-year fight against the challenges of ALS. Throughout it all she never stopped laughing, she never stopped fighting, and never lost her faith.

Judy was born in Denver Colorado on August 20, 1940 to Harold Cary and Virgina Whelan Cary. She graduated from South High School and the University of Denver where she received her degree in elementary education. She met Joseph Birrell at DU, taught with him at Rosedale Elementary School and they were married in 1965. They were blessed with two daughters, Catherine and Susan, a wonderful loving marriage of 55 years, and time to travel, care for each other, family, and friends. Judy took time off to raise her daughters before going back to work first as a substitute teacher, then at Doull, and finally at Valverde Elementary. She ended her career working with special needs kids which she considered to be her greatest challenge and greatest honor. She lived in South Denver until 2019 when she and Joe joined her daughter Susan, and son-in-law James Stofft and their two daughters Anna and Erin in the beautiful desert of Tucson. She and Joe walked daily in Sabino Canyon and she never lost her wonder for all the beauty the desert has to offer.

She was the perfect example of a kindergarten teacher. She taught reading and writing, but even more, she taught generations of young Denverites to be kind, patient, generous, and to take responsibility for their actions. Judy was quiet and often overlooked and underestimated as her true superpower was supporting the people around her, she was happy to stay out of the limelight to give others a chance to shine. She was a true example of grace and humility, kindness and compassion.  She was a devoted grandmother, and mother (to her two-legged and four-legged kids), she never lost her love of learning and challenging herself, she was a technological wizard making sure that she documented every life event with a video, adopting every new tech gadget out there and utilizing them to keep connected to the people she loved.  She will be greatly missed.

Funeral Mass at 12Noon on Thursday August 18, 2022 at Notre Dame Catholic Parish, 2190 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, CO  80219. Burial will follow at 2:00pm at Fort Logan National Cemetery, 3698 S. Sheridan Blvd., Denver, CO.

Family and friends are invited to share memories of Judy and condolences with her family by sharing on the adjoining Tribute wall.