Judith Neely

NEELY, CLOWERS, MILLER, WALKER, LAND, WILBERT

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/6/2021 at 08:27:15

Judith 'Judy' Eileen (Clowers) Neely

Cedar Rapids

Judith "Judy" Eileen (Clowers) Neely stepped into the arms of her Savior on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021. Judy was the wife of her loving husband, Russell; mother of four wonderful children, Matthew (Rubyana), Catherine Miller, Andrew (Kayo) and Rebecca; grandmother to Lucy Miller; sister to Sarah Jackson, Ann Clawson and Linda Land; and aunt to Mary Angeline Walker, Emma Land, Daniel, Corey and Jenny Derrick, and Stephen and Edward Wilbert.

Judy was preceded in death by her father, Edward Earl Clowers, and her mother, Deronda Nora Clowers.

Born in Little Rock, Ark., Judy graduated from North Little Rock High in 1967 and Ouachita Baptist College in 1971. After joining a friend in Arlington, Texas, she met and married Russell Neely, had three of her beautiful children, moved to Grand Rapids, Mich., where she had the fourth of her beautiful children, and finally settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Judy grew up in a Southern Baptist church and always considered herself a Southern Baptist. Her faith in Christ was very important to her. For many years, she searched for the answer to a question that she had that had never been answered. That question was: Why is it that we are told that once saved always saved and why can we never lose our salvation? In the late '90s, Judy worked parttime for the Baptist Convention of Iowa and was given a book written by Terrel Suggs, pastor of a Southern Baptist church in Mississippi, by her boss. This book, "My Journey in Grace," explained the Doctrines of Grace. In Judy's own words, she devoured it. She told family and friends that while reading it Judy saw the Gospel in three dimensions rather than two. She understood the Gospel so much more after reading the book. And while she was reading it, she had a vision, and in that vision a door opened up and revealed bright light. Judy felt a call from the Lord that was so strong she had to respond and could not say no. She didn't go through the door, but was drawn so that she couldn't resist the call. Then the door closed and the vision disappeared. This had a tremendous impact on Judy's life as a Christian. She found the answer to that question in the Doctrines of Grace discussed in this book that God finds and keeps all of His sheep. While reading this book and having discussions with her boss, Judy realized that Christ was all she needed.

Judy took a parttime job at PCI in the medical records department in the year 2000. She loved her job there. She retired from PCI at the end of 2018.

Judy, with her husband Russell, fought Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (cutaneous t-cell lymphoma) for seven years. Eventually, it progressed into an internal t-cell lymphoma resulting in many masses in her abdomen that were discovered too late for successful treatment. This eventually took her life.

Judy lived a happy life and was blessed with many, many friends, enabling her to say that she was never lonely. Judy's life exemplified Christ, which in turn drew people to her gentle spirit and compassionate heart. She always was looking for ways to give and care for people. An experienced quilter, Judy found joy in sewing and she gave many quilts as gifts to friends and family. Her friends and family knew she always would have time to listen to them. Her wit and penchant for sarcastic humor made people laugh even until the very end.

Having fought the good fight, Judy is now basking in the presence of the One who "will wipe away every tear from their eyes" and where there will be no more mourning, crying or pain. In Judy's own words, "Life is so good. God is so good."

In celebration of Judy's life, the family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at Murdoch Funeral Home in Marion, Iowa. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, at Northbrook Baptist Church, located at 1700 Boyson Rd. NE in Cedar Rapids, where an additional visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service. Pastor John Janke will officiate. Burial will follow at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids.

Please share a memory of Judy at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.