Judith (Holtz) Fisher (1939-2007)

FISHER, HOLTZ, VOKT, FISHER, YOUNG, ROCK

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 5/26/2007 at 07:21:04

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Tuesday, May 26, 2007.

Sept. 2, 1939 - May 24, 2007

Judith (Holtz) Fisher, 67, joined her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in heaven Thursday, May 24, in San Antonio, Texas. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 29, at Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 14700 San Pedro Ave., in San Antonio. Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery.

Judith (Holtz) Fisher was born Sept. 2, 1939, in Adair, to William and Iroline Vokt. She was raised on a farm northwest of Adair by a loving, Christian family and attended the Immanuel Lutheran Church of Adair. Upon graduation from Adair High School in 1957, she attended Iowa State University in Ames, where she graduated with a degree in home economics in 1961. She married Richard Holtz soon thereafter, and lived in the Chicago area for several years while teaching in local high schools. She moved to Ames in 1964, where she raised her three children and nurtured her family.

Throughout her entire adult life Judy was a successful businesswoman. She was a leading professional color consultant in central Iowa, and was founder and president of her own business, Totally You Inc. Her career covered more than 20 years in color, cosmetics, pattern design and wardrobing. She maintained an active speaking schedule at colleges and universities, traveled nationally to give presentations, and produced a book in the field of fashion. She was an active entrepreneur, which included her own private label line of cosmetics. She renovated a large home in Ames into a retail business named "Shoppes on Grande," where she had a dress and boutique shop of her own and leased space to other specialty businesses.

In 1988, Judy was presented the "The Women Entrepreneur Award" by the Ames Chamber of Commerce.

It was in this same year that Judy moved to San Antonio, Texas. In 1990, she married her high school sweetheart, John Fisher, of San Antonio. They were blessed to have 17 years together.

She worked for Dillard's and Foleys prior to becoming the general manager for SOS Technologies where she worked for 12 years until her retirement in 2004.

Judy was an active member of the North S.A. Chamber of Commerce where she served as an "ambassador," a member of the Small Business Council, and as chairperson of the Breakfast Networking Committee. In addition, she was a member of the San Antonio Rotary Club and the Alamo Executive Club. Judy was also active in Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, where she served on the Altar Guild Society and as the secretary to the Executive Council.

In 2002 she was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease). Although this was a setback, she managed to maintain a positive attitude and outlook on life, which contributed to her longevity with the disease. Her approach to living with ALS was to live one day at a time, and enjoy life to the fullest during every second of every minute of every day. She was an inspiration to others throughout her illness.

The family would like to thank the ALS Association for their unending support and dedication to finding a cure for ALS.
Also, we would like to thank her caregivers and VistaCare hospice for their wonderful and loving care to our wife and mother. Also, a thank you to our family and friends who posted notes on The Caring Bridge website as we updated the status of Judy's health. A special thanks to the Stephen Ministry, especially Donna and Hayden Stewart, for their love, understanding, and ministry throughout her illness.

She is survived by her husband, John; three children, Timothy Holtz and his partner, Irina, of Atlanta, Ga., Teri and her husband, Mark Young, of Hudson, Wis., and Tracy and her husband, Daron Rock, of Universal City, Texas; one stepson, John Fisher and his wife, Rosanne, of Cibolo, Texas; one brother, John Vokt and his wife, Rita, of Indianapolis, Ind.; four grandchildren, Tyler and Tobie Fisher, Tommy Rock, and Nikita Holtz; as well as two nieces and many cousins.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents.

The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, May 28, 2007, at Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas.

Memorials can be sent to the ALS Association of South Texas, Creekview Garden Offices, 8600 Wurzbach Road, No. 700, San Antonio, TX 78240 and/or Abiding Presence Lutheran Church, 14700 San Pedro Ave., San Antonio, TX 78232.

You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.porterloring.com.

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