Judy Degelo

Judy Degelo, beloved wife of Gary Degelo for 50 years, peacefully entered eternal rest January 1, 2018.

Judy was born the youngest of three children on September 21, 1948 to Margaret and John Kurtz of Hanover, New Jersey. Judy graduated from Hanover Park High School in 1966. She married her high school sweetheart Lieutenant Gary Degelo on April 29, 1967. She loved being an active Army wife beginning with her first and favorite assignment in Frankfurt Germany, where they started their family and her fairytale life.

She was actively involved in the military serving on Officers Wives Club boards and as a Red Cross volunteer. Judy was many things to many people but most important was being "Mom" to daughters Tiffany and Kristina, and loving wife to Gary. She was fortunate to fulfill her most important role as a full-time mother throughout her girls' developmental years.

She attended Central Texas College while stationed at Fort Hood and Hartford Community College in Bel Air, Maryland, and became certified as an Orthodontic Assistant. Judy was a Dental Assistant at White Sands Missile Range in the 1980s. After returning to Texas she continued her medical career assisting Dr. Frank Gamma at Metroplex Hospital, caring for and comforting patients for 11 years. Judy chose an early retirement so she could experience the best of life with her family and friends.

Judy embraced her love for outdoor adventures while in New Mexico as an avid runner, receiving medals for one of the most rigorous mountain trail races in the nation. In Texas, she and her family spent Saturday's water skiing and later sailing Belton Lake. Judy and Gary loved scuba diving and explored the greatest warm-water reefs throughout the Caribbean. Together they enjoyed life and each other to the fullest. Still, to Judy there was "no place like home," where their best times were spent at their home on the lake, laughing and celebrating with the most incredible friends and family anyone could hope to have.

Judy was preceded in death by her beloved parents John and Margaret Kurtz, her sister Joy Artigliere and nephew Randy Artigliere. Survivors include her husband Gary, daughters Tiffani of Ruidoso New Mexico and Kristina of Corpus Christi Texas, brother John Kurtz of Denville New Jersey, granddaughters Ashlyn Fuller of Temple and Andie Jenkin of San Marcos, and three great grandchildren Braxton, Camden and Elowyn Fuller of Temple, and niece Susan Gormley of Schuylkill Haven Pennsylvania.

A private family service for Judy Degelo, 69, of Belton will be held at a later date.