ROCHELLE — Judith (Judy) M Hokanson, age 79 of Rochelle, passed away on Sunday, September 3, 2023, at Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon, IL after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Judy was born to Lawrence and Edith (Gregg) Pugh, February 9, 1944 in Kansas City, MO. Judy called Rochelle her home. She graduated from Jasper High School in 1961 and from Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, MO in 1966. She began her teaching career at Kansas City Christian School in 1966. She married Holmfred (Fred) Hokanson on December 27, 1969, also in Kansas City, MO. They then made their way to Illinois where she taught in Rockford, IL for just over a year. She was a substitute teacher for several years. In 1979, she began teaching 2nd  grade in the Eswood School District until 1999. She also taught K-3 music for 15 years during her time at Eswood. She ended her teaching career at Hinkley Big Rock School District as a Title 1 reading specialist in 2010.

Judy’s most cherished moments were those spent with her grandchildren, Eric and Sara (her sweetie girl). Her world revolved around them. She loved watching them in all their activities from football to FFA Banquets to the county fair and everything in between. She lit up even in her last days when hearing their voices. She was a true believer in Jesus Christ and loved to share with others what the Lord had blessed her with and could do for them. She loved spending time leading Bible Studies, attending Tres Dias events, gospel music concerts and going on cruises, traveling with her closest friends. She loved attending her class reunions and cherished her many friendships from her school years. There wasn’t a person who met Judy who didn’t love her. She attended Maywood Evangelical Free Church where she greeted people, sang in the choir, played the piano, and was a true prayer warrior. The last ten years she shared her home with her beloved felines, Lucy and Ethel. They loved Judy dearly as she did them.

Fred and Judy raised one daughter, Debi (Ben) Heisner of Mineral Point WI.

Immediate survivors are her daughter, Debi (Ben); her grandchildren: Eric of Mineral Point, WI, and Sara of Platteville, WI; her sisters: Marilyn (Don) Meier of Lee’s Summit MO, Joyce (Terry, deceased) Maneval of Jasper, MO, Becky (Tony) Elliott of Jasper, MO and a brother, Fred (Joy) Pugh of Cleveland, OH, many nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews.

Judy is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Fred, her in-laws, Fred Sr. and Vivian Hokanson, her brothers-in-law, Ken Hokanson and Terry Maneval.

A memorial visitation will be held Thursday, September 21, 2023, at the Unger Horner Funeral Home, 400 N. 6th  Street, Rochelle, IL from 5:00  – 8:00 P.M. A Celebration of Life will be held on September 22, 2023 at Maywood Evangelical Free Church, 3621 Samuelson Rd, Rockford, IL at 11:00 A.M. with Pastors Gary Kniseley and Dave Currie officiating with a visitation from 10:00 - 11:00 A.M. prior to the service. The service will be live streamed and available to view at live.mefc.us. Burial will be at a later date at Lawnridge Cemetery in Rochelle.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Serenity Hospice and Home or Maywood Evangelical Free Church in Judy’s memory.  Please visit www.ungerhorner.com to sign the online guest book.