Judy Ramsay

With an infectious smile and a generous and grateful heart, Judith Ramsay was a kind, sweet person who eagerly shared her time and talents with others. Honest and hardworking, Judith led with her heart in all things. She welcomed each day as a gift and treated others with kindness, patience, and respect. Grateful for her blessings, Judith relished using her gifts to serve others, helping them believe in themselves and often lightening their burdens. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Judith will long be remembered by those she so dearly loved.

Despite the obvious gloom of the growing conflict in Europe, 1938 held much to celebrate, including the end of the Great Depression, Seabiscuit's historic win, and Superman's first appearance. As the U.S. actively armed up for war, families continued to center their lives on love and hope for a brighter future. Nowhere was that hope more evident than in the hearts and home of Daniel and Eileen Robins as they welcomed their daughter, Judith, to their family on January 4, in Oakland County, Michigan.

A middle child, Judith enjoyed the good company of her older brother, Dan, and younger brother, Bruce. Dan was her big protector, while Bruce could be annoying, like the times they would find the door locked when they arrived home from school, and Judith would help Bruce through a window, but then he would taunt Judith and refuse to unlock the door for her. The family moved around a lot when Judith was young. Over the years, she lived in Dearborn, Ithaca, and St. Louis, Michigan.

After graduating from St. Louis High School, Judith continued her education at Michigan State University, where she first met her future husband, John Ramsay. The pair became friends, and romance ensued. With their hearts set on sharing the future, they married and were blessed to welcome their two children to their family. Robin was born in 1960, and Bruce in 1965.

Judith devoted herself to raising her children and creating a loving and supportive home for her family. When the kids were young, the Ramsays enjoyed camping in Michigan. Days spent canoeing and exploring nature always proved worthwhile. They also enjoyed traveling to visit out-of-state relatives.

As her children became school-aged, she entered the workforce and worked in a variety of roles within the school system, serving as a playground supervisor, cafeteria worker, and teacher's aide at many schools in the Lansing and Holt areas. Judith had tremendous patience and gave some of her strong-willed students the tough love they needed to succeed in the classroom. Years later, she would run into some of her former students, and they would thank her for the help that they received. Later she worked at JoAnn's fabrics in the cash office. She had a strong work ethic and was well-liked by her coworkers.

An active member of her church, Judith was a member of the choir, worked at the food bank and on the garden project, and served on the Vestry committee. She loved to sing and was a member of the Water Wonderland chorus. A highlight of her time with the chorus was when she traveled with the group to Australia and sang in the opera house, which was a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

Always friendly and outgoing, Judith was affectionately known as the matriarch of the street she lived on in Holt for the last 60 years. She listened with her heart and was very grateful for others. She liked baking cookies for people as a special way to say "Thank you." Though Judith loved to cook and enjoyed what she made, her favorite meal was a Marco Polo pizza with Alfredo sauce from the local pizza shop.

Creative and curious, Judith enjoyed knitting and sewing, skillfully making many of her and her daughter's clothes. She also enjoyed making stained glass and reading mystery novels by her favorite authors, such as James Patterson and Patricia Cornwell. In addition to her creative endeavors, Judith was a pet lover who always had a four-legged companion in her home. Her current pet is a cat named Camie.

As we celebrate Judith's wholehearted life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying her legacy of kindness, generosity, grace, and goodness forward in our own lives. In each moment we greet a stranger as a friend, encourage others' greatness, show our gratitude, lend a compassionate ear, gather with loved ones, and curl up with a favorite four-legged friend, we keep Judith's memory alive and inspire others as she so inspired us.

Judith Ramsay died on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Members of her family include her children: Robin (Rocco) Buysse and Bruce Ramsay; 5 grandchildren: Megan (Nik) Lasley, Jennifer (Benjamin) Norton, Eric Buysse, Evan Ramsay, and Courtney Kitchen-Ramsay. She was preceded in death by her parents, Tad and Eileen and brothers, Dan and Bruce. Services will be held at 10:30 on Friday, September 26th at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, 6500 Amberwood Drive, Lansing. Donations may be made to St. Michael Episcopal Church or the Ingham County Humane Society. Celebrate Judy’s life online by sharing your favorite stories and photos on his dedicated webpage at BetzlerLifeStory.com.