Obituary: Judith Rae (Garrett) Livingston
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Judith Rae (Garrett) Livingston died Oct. 30, 2022. Judith was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, on May 20, 1941. She was the youngest of three sisters, born 13 and 10 years after Geraldine and Barbara. She attended the University of Nebraska, earning her bachelor of arts in elementary education; there, she met Ira "Ike" Livingston Jr. (III) and they married right after graduation.
She taught elementary school in California before moving to Pennsylvania to start a family: her first son, Ira IV; two adopted older brothers, John and Sam; and fourth son, Joseph. She then moved to Colorado, where her only daughter, Carol, was born. Judy became a stay-at-home housewife and mother, and was one of the first in the neighborhood to create a home daycare.
Judy did all of that while Ira would leave the engineering field to become a Presbyterian pastor, eventually moving the three youngest kids to Two Harbors, Minnesota, as John and Sam were college-bound. In Two Harbors, she was a dental hygienist and a pastor's wife for only a year-and-a-half before Ike Jr. (III) passed away. She then married Donald Kellett, and our family expanded with two stepdaughters, Lisa and Lezli, and the adoption of Don’s youngest son, Christopher.
Judith then decided to return to school, earning her master of arts in education with a focus on special education, and then returned to teaching. Judy and Don divorced in 1999. Judy then married again, retired, and moved to Las Vegas in 2003 to be closer to her new husband’s child. The new husband consumed all her money, and her children helped move her to Tucson in 2012 to be closer to Carol. This is where she spent the remaining years of her life, through her last days in hospice care.
She was preceded to heaven by her parents, Joseph and Lucile Garrett; sister Geraldine Clapper; brothers-in-law Edwin Clapper and Jerry Krieger; her husband, Ira Livingston Jr. (III); stepdaughter Lisa Kellett; and sons John Livingston and Samuel Livingston ... which will be quite the reception for her in heaven.
She is survived by her sister Barbara Krieger; son John’s wife, Olga Livingston, and children Elisabeth and Andre; son Sam's children, Claire and Eric; son Ira “Ike” Livingston IV, his wife, Lisa Dever Livingston and thir son Ira "Ike" V; son Joseph (Kerry) Livingston and children Sarah, Michael, Gabriel and Grace; Carol D. L. (Jeffrey) Smith and son Dain; stepdaughter Lezli Kellet; son Chris (Julie) Kellett and children Mallorie, Nolan and Kendall. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 20 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cloquet.
