Jan. 25, 1940 — Jan. 15, 2014

“A Mother is someone who can take the place of all others, but whose place no one else can take.”

Judith A. Dodd, 73, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2014, with her family surrounding her. “Grandma Judy” or “Mamma Dodd” as she was known by many, was born to Fred and Donna (Canard) Greenway on Jan. 25, 1940, in Mountainview, Ark.

On Dec. 5, 1959, she married the love of her life, Jim Dodd, recently celebrating their 54th anniversary.

Together they raised two daughters, Tammy (Toby) Brooks of Dowagiac and Tracy (Joe) Urbanski of Zeeland. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Jeff (Jenni) Winters of Dowagiac, Beth (Mike) Staley of Ft. Benning, Georgia, Brittany (Jeff) Yauchstetter of Bridgman, Ryan Galbreath and fiancee’ Dianna Combs of Three Rivers, Tony Brooks of Dowagiac, step grandchildren, Katy (Gabe) Judd of Chicago and Joe Urbanski of Grand Rapids, and five great grandchildren, Makenna, Michael and Blake Staley of Ft. Benning, Georgia and Emma and Abbi Yauchstetter of Bridgman, her special friend/son-in-law, Ron Galbreath, special niece, Linda Kapp of St. Joseph and special brother and sister-in-law, Leon and JoAn Dodd, and many nieces and nephews who she loved so dearly. She is preceded in death by her parents, sister Eula “Dee Tee” Velthouse, and brothers, Clifton, J.B. and Hayden Greenway.

She attended the First United Methodist Church of Dowagiac, which she considered her second family. Judy was a Dowagiac graduate of the class of 1958 and enjoyed her monthly luncheons with many of her classmates as well as her coffee clutches at the local restaurants. She was an avid Notre Dame fan, who planned her Saturdays around football games, and was a season ticket holder to the women’s basketball for the past 14 years. She often read cookbooks, from her large collection, as if they were novels. Gramma Judy would attend her grandchildren and great grandchildren’s sporting events and dance programs, where you would often find her boasting about each of their accomplishments. She was also a member of the Dowagiac Moose Lodge #933. One of her greatest joys was being the supporting wife of a firefighter for 40 years.

The family will gather with friends on Friday, Jan. 17, 2014, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Clark Chapel & Cremation Services, 405 Center Street in Dowagiac. A celebration of life will take place on Saturday, January 18, 2014, from 11 a.m. until time of service at 1 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 326 N. Lowe Street in Dowagiac. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be directed to the First United Methodist Church or the Scholarship Fund for Miss Dowagiac. Please sign her guestbook and leave a memory of Judy at www.clarkch.com.