Judith Kylar “Judy” Jamison Reel, 73

January 31, 2014

Judith Kylar “Judy” Jamison Reel, 73, took her final curtain call on Friday, Jan. 31.
A star on the stage and in our lives, she was my mom and my best friend. She was also wife to my dad, D. Thomas “Tom,” for 38 years, grandmother to Kylar Ann, her namesake, mother-in-law to my husband, Adam Aurand and dog mom to her beloved rescue dog, Taxi.
When she was diagnosed with extensive stage small cell lung cancer in July of 2011, she was given six to 12 months to live. But she blew that prognosis away, and in the past 30 months, she enjoyed a remarkable 10-month remission period, she celebrated three birthdays and two wedding anniversaries, she witnessed the birth and first birthday of her granddaughter and she had the chance to get a sneak peek at her legacy through an overwhelming outpouring of love and support from her wonderful family and friends.
Born in Newark, N.J. in 1941 to the late Anton Anthony and the late Stephanie Nora (Kwiecien) Kylar, she graduated from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in 1958. She worked as an executive secretary in the president’s office for Ronson Corp., Woodbridge, N.J., and an administrative assistant for Diamondhead Corp., Mountainside, N.J.
An actress through and through, she was active in community theater where her favorite roles included Magnolia Hawks in “Showboat” (Scotch Plains Proscenium Players), Maria in “The Sound of Music” (Edison Valley Playhouse) and Hedy LaRue in “”How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” (Edison Valley Playhouse). After moving to Lancaster, she performed in several melodramas with the Ephrata Area Community Playhouse at the Brossman Building and the Old Mill, including as Lady Angkatell in Agatha Christie’s “The Hollow.” She was a drama and vocal performer with the Musical Art Society and volunteered for several local youth music organizations.
She also volunteered for the Wellspring Lending Library at Lancaster General Hospital for nearly 20 years and was a Trained Listening Community (“TLC”) volunteer for the radiation oncology department at the Lancaster General Health Campus. She participated in the Landis Homes aqua-therapy program, where she met some of her best and dearest friends.
She was active in the Scotch Plains Young Republican Club and was a Republican Committeewoman for the 1st precinct in Scotch Plains, Union County, N.J. After relocating to Lancaster in 1975 with dad, she served as a Lancaster County Republican Committeewoman in East Lampeter Township’s 5th precinct.
She will be fondly remembered for her strength, grace and her remarkable sense of humor. She made friends every where she went. Though her diagnosis was devastating, she vowed to fight. And she didn’t fight for herself, she fought for her family. Instead of saying “Why me?” she would often say “Why not me? I would take this on myself if it meant sparing you, Dad, Kylar or Adam.” Her outlook was extraordinary, and each and every one of us who got the opportunity to share in her journey is so thankful we did.
She is also survived by her step-children, David C., married to Kelly, and Susan E. Sanchez, married to Mark, and step-grandchildren, Jenna, Jamie and Mitch Reel, and Chase and Allison Sanchez, as well as her grand-dog, Boomer.
Her memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 31 South Duke Street, Lancaster, where she was a member. Family will receive visitors from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Parish House. Mom loved bright colors, so please dress accordingly; she also loved all kinds of flowers, and we’ll donate the flowers from her service to the Hospice inpatient unit for families to enjoy.
Break a leg in heaven, mom. The choir of angels is lucky to have a soprano like you. Love always, Kristy