Judith (Judee) I. Shaffett passed peacefully in her sleep on Aug. 9, 2007 at her home on the water where she wanted to be with her husband at her side. Dad gave her a kiss goodnight just as he did every night during the past 45 years. Mom quietly, and very gracefully fought third stage ovarian cancer for five years, and as in everything she did her whole life, she always thought of others first.

Judee was born to Richard and Dorothy Borcherding on Sept. 4, 1942 in Portland, Ore. She was the middle sister of three girls.

She was an excellent student and graduated top of her class from Madison High School in 1960.

She met Dad in 1963 at his gas station and Dad knew she was that special person he should spend the rest of his life with. They were married on Feb. 14, 1964.

She was such a special person; she married a man with two small children — Joyce, 4, and Joe, 18 months — adopted them and called these children her own just as she did with a baby born to them on Nov. 26, 1965, Jeffrey Alan.

They made a life together in Portland raising their family and were active in their community with the Jaycees. With their involvement in this organization, they made lifetime friends that Mom considered part of her family.

She then moved to the Seattle area where Mom and Dad continued to be active in the Jaycees with both of them holding many officer and chair positions expanding their circle of friendships. In 1967, Mom was very proud of the work she did as chairwoman for the first Miss White Center Pageant sponsored by the Jaycees and then helped Miss White

Center to win the Miss Washington Pageant.

Again in her way of thinking of others, Mom found property on Whidbey Island on Saratoga Passage that she knew Dad would love so she bought it and they built their dream home on the water. They also became very active again in their community with different local organizations like the Eagles and Mom’s favorite, Good Cheer. Mom was on the board of Good Cheer and donated many hours of her time to the idea “locals can help locals.”

Mom worked many years at the Boeing Company and received several awards for outstanding work until she retired in 2003. Before and after retirement Mom and Dad continued with their plans to travel in their motor home and on the cruise ships of the world.

Judee is survived by her husband Rocky; children Joyce (Larry) Wood, Joseph Shaffett, Jeffrey (Dawn) Shaffett; her grandchildren Kassandra (Adam) Lee, Tony Wood, Brittany Schooley, Alexis Shaffett, Rachael Shaffett, Jessica Shaffett; great-grandchildren Adrian Lee and Alexander Lee. She is also survived by her sisters Barbara (Phillip) Murphy, Nancy (David deceased) Vandervort as well as a host of nieces, nephews and many, many other relatives and friends.

Please come and celebrate Mom’s life at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Eagles of Whidbey Island, 2801 E Highway 525 in Freeland.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Good Cheer Food Bank in memory of Judee Shaffett or to your favorite charities.