Judith Diane (Coker) (Sjerven) Nicholai, age 84, passed away at Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle on September 5th from serious injuries sustained in a car accident on September 4th.
Judy was born September 27, 1940 in Ventura, CA to Delmar and Nina Coker of California. She attended public schools in Ventura, then Ventura State Junior College where she met Arlen Sjerven. They married in 1959 and moved to San Diego to attend San Diego State College together. Judy earned a B.A. in Music Education. They moved to Royalton, Minnesota where Judy was an on-air personality at a local radio station. Arlen and Judy were blessed with three boys in the 1960’s. In 1970, the Sjervens moved to Willmar, Minnesota. In addition to raising three boys, Judy was a church choir Director, taught music and summer school guitar classes and worked on her singing, guitar, music, art and calligraphy. In 1974, Judy wrote an original song titled “Touch A Life’; on which she sang and played acoustic guitar, and self-released it on a 7” record. The charitable group, Kiwanis International, invited her to perform it at their annual meeting in San Diego in 1975 and announced they would have a yearly award named after her song. The song’s lyrics encouraged people to care about others: “Touch a life, be a friend, lend a hand to another. Take a risk, show you care, be there”. In the mid-70’s, Judy created an educational music & slideshow named “America, This Is Your Life!’; featuring her singing with guitar and narrating the history and artworks of America’s founding. She performed the show live many times all over Minnesota. She also became a member of the historical music group The Hutchinson Family Singers and toured the country performing live songs from America’s beginnings. The group recorded a number of songs for a Time/Life historical music album and self-released an audio tape. Judy also started her own singing telegram business called “The Singing Scribe’; which she delivered customized telegrams to many people in the Willmar area, singing & playing guitar and giving them a personal note written in calligraphy, all dressed in a telegram courier costume.
In 1984, Judy moved to Minneapolis, MN., to further her music and art career. She directed the 3M Women’s Chorus and continued her portrait art and calligraphy with Singing Scribe Designs. In the early 2000’s, Judy moved to San Diego, CA, and was happy to be back in her home state. In 2006, Judy moved to LaConner, Washington, then later to Oak Harbor. In 2013, Judy married Nick Nicholai, a talented jazz pianist. Together they formed the “Just In Time Jazz Duo” and performed live many shows in the Oak Harbor area, mostly at Senior Living Communities and coffee shops. They self-released two CD’s of them performing their favorite music.
Judy is survived by her three sons, Andrew (Theresa) of Otsego, MN, Mitchell (Amy) of Santa Barbara, CA and Jeffrey of Prior Lake, MN. Also, surviving grandchildren Matthew, Hannah, Madeline and Caroline. Also great-grandchild Sophia. She was preceded in death by her husband, Nick, her sister Joan and her parents.
