Judy Pearce

JUDY FEULNER PEARCE

May 17, 1945 ~ July 16, 2019

Judy Pearce, a rugged individualist who fiercely loved her family and friends and whose passion for adventure touched the lives of thousands, died suddenly and unexpectedly at her cabin on July 16, 2019. She was 74.
From river running and camping to riding horses and promoting women’s sports, Judy thrived on adrenaline, relationships and service. She directed the annual girls’ camp for the LDS Hunter West Stake for 47 years, introducing generations of young women to the outdoors, sports, Coca-Cola and John Denver. She served many years as multi-region director for women’s sports for her church, and enjoyed playing volleyball, basketball, softball and anything competitive. To celebrate her 70th birthday, Judy hiked the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim, fueled only by a vanilla milkshake and Swedish Fish.
Judy worked as hard as she played, receiving many outstanding achievement awards during her 30-plus years as a real estate agent. She was active in several local horse clubs, and rode and raised prizewinners — Morgans, Tennessee Walking Horses and Spotted Saddle Horses. Years of dedicated churchgoing and even a reluctant stint in a Relief Society presidency demonstrated her quiet yet resolute faith.
Judy wasted nothing — time, energy or the dregs in a ketchup bottle. She cultivated a tight-knit group of friends, and she showed love with a tool belt, whether roofing her son’s cabin, landscaping her daughter’s new home or supporting her husband’s interest in classic cars. Unrelenting and demanding, Judy inspired both fear and admiration, and her children thought they had her figured out. Then the granddaughters came, charming, independent girls who fully exposed the big heart that beat under Judy’s tough exterior.
Born and raised in Hunter/West Valley City, Judy had a deep attachment to the land where her German immigrant parents settled a century ago. A graduate of Cyprus High School, she met her lifelong partner and soulmate — Tom Pearce — during an 8th grade water fight (which she started and he got in trouble for). Soon, they were riding horses together in the foothills above Magna and they later married in the Salt Lake Temple. Tom and Judy celebrated their 50th anniversary last November by cruising the Caribbean with family and friends.
Judy is survived by her husband, Tom Pearce of West Valley City; son Travis (Melissa) Pearce of Salt Lake City; daughter Jamie (Jakob) Zufelt of Moab; brothers Vaughn (Kate) Feulner and Scott Feulner, both of West Valley City; and granddaughters Harper, Norah and Clover Pearce, and Jozlynn and Jazmine Zufelt. She is preceded in death by parents George F. and Mary Olson Feulner and sister Verlynn Feulner.
The family has delayed Judy’s services so that girls and leaders from this year’s girls’ camp may join in celebrating her singular character, love, loyalty and grit. An open house for Judy will be held on Friday, July 26, 6-8 p.m. at the LDS Hunter 9th Ward, 7035 Loch Ness Dr., West Valley City, where the family will receive visitors from 10-10:45 a.m. and funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 27th, followed by interment at Valley View Memorial Park. Online condolences: www.peelfuneralhome.com