Judy Ann Backlund

 

Judy Ann Backlund passed away April 3, 2022, in Ontario, California with her partner Dennis by her side. Judy had suffered multiple battles with cancer over 42 years and fought valiantly through each cancer as she loved life, but her body become exhausted, and she couldn’t do it anymore.

Judy was born in Grand Marais, Minnesota on August 6, 1949, to Sid and Betty Backlund. Judy lived most of her adult life in California, but Minnesota was always deep in her heart. She never lost her love of Grand Marais, the community and beauty of the North Shore. She kept subscriptions to multiple papers in Minnesota to keep up on the news and never tired of hearing about another award her hometown received.

Judy was educated at CCHS and then went on to St. Luke’s Nursing School in Duluth – following in her beloved Aunt Eleanor’s footsteps. She knew at a young age that nursing was what she wanted to do and embraced the nursing profession as a chance to help those that needed it. Her Mother Betty was lucky to have Judy come home and help care for her after she had a difficult surgery. Judy was always an adventurer and decided to move to California shortly after completing her nursing degree. She spent 30 years at LaPalma Hospital as a post-surgical nurse. If anyone was considering nursing as a profession Judy was happy to discuss it at length and she was doing just that at the beginning of February with the neighbor’s daughter at the mailbox. The daughter missed her visit with her dad as they chatted for over an hour.

Judy and her partner of 26 years Dennis Williams were strong advocates of animal welfare as they found over 50 stray cats in their neighborhood that needed to be neutered and spayed. They managed to arrange for the cats to be rounded up and they had a mobile clinic come to help. There was one little kitten that was smaller than the others and didn’t look like she would make it, so she became their Princess for over 14 years. Looking out for the underdog was always Judy’s goal.

Judy is survived by her Partner Dennis Williams, her four siblings, Diane (Bob) Cotterman, Susan (Peter) Dixon, Sid (Dolly) Backlund and Terry (Lori) Backlund. She also had two nephews and a niece and four great nieces and one great nephew. She had so much love to share with the future generations and was proud to be called Auntie and Great Auntie. We will miss our family chats with Judy on Messenger – they could go on all evening, and it was much like sitting around the Backlund homesteads kitchen table.

There will be a Celebration of Life at Bethlehem Lutheran Church this Summer. Judy believed strongly in the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation as a way that both supported patients and worked to make cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer) a treatable disease. Memorials may be sent to the foundation in lieu of flowers.