Judy Bottomly

Julia Marilla (Fain) Thomas Bottomly died on November 13, 2013 in Clearfield, Utah at the home of her husband, M. Ray Bottomly. “Judy” was surrounded by loved ones at the time of her death and had been assisted by family and hospice care for the last two months.
She was born on October 9, 1923 in Whitebreast Township, Lucas County, Iowa. Julia was the fifth of six children born to Richard Rhea Fain and Flossie Maie (Fawley) Fain.
Julia attended Cory Country School , a one room school in Whitebreast Township, Lucas County, Iowa. She attended high school in Chariton until moving with her family to a farm west of Allerton. She attended Allerton High School for her senior year, graduating in 1941. After high school, Julia attended Capital City Commercial College, a business college in Des Moines, Iowa, graduating with a stenography certificate. In Des Moines, Julia worked as a secretary.
On December 19, 1942 Julia married Otis Edwin Thomas in Lancaster, Missouri. From the time Otis and Julia met, her name became Judy, instead of Julia, except to her Fain relatives. Judy and Otis celebrated 56 years of marriage before Otis’ death in 1998. They lived in BattleCreek, Michigan during the war. There, Judy worked for the rationing board.
After the war, Judy and Otis returned to Wayne County, Iowa and farmed west of Corydon in Benton Township, later purchasing the farm 6 miles west of town where they lived and raised their two children, Phillip Edwin, and Sheila Diane.
Once retired from farming, Judy and Otis began wintering in Southern California, both at “The Slabs” near Niland, California, and later the Imperial Spa RV Park. They traveled from Iowa each year from 1975 through the winter of 1997. After Otis death, Judy continued to drive to Niland, California for the winter.
Another couple from Clearfield, Utah also had been wintering at the same RV park in California, although the two couples had never met. This couple was Murl Ray Bottomly and his wife, Beth. Ray and Beth had been married for 53 years when Beth passed away in 1999. Ray and Judy met after both were widowers and were married in Yuma, Arizona on December 21, 2001. Ray and Judy spent the next 12 years traveling to and from Iowa, Utah, and California as well as a cross country trip to Maryland, Washington D.C., and Niagra Falls. They wintered in California this past year and made the drive from Utah back to Corydon unaccompanied this summer.
Judy was a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She was a gifted seamstress and a talented artist (knitting, crocheting, oil painting, and in later years, a creator of unique and unusual rock paintings).
A longtime member of the First Baptist Church in Corydon, Iowa, Judy served at various times as a Sunday School and Bible School teacher, BYF leader, Girls’ Guild leader, and member of the Women’s Group.
Judy had also belonged to the Wayne County Hospital Guild, serving as president during the late 1960’s when the Candy Striper Program was first established.
She was an avid high school sports fan, especially enjoying her children’s sports endeavors and attending their games. Judy also supported the high school band when Phillip and Sheila were involved and served a term as president of the band parents’ group and had served as chair of the committee for one of the band’s smorgasbord dinners.
Judy is predeceased by her first husband, Otis E. Thomas. She is also predeceased by her parents, two brothers, Isaac, and Richard (Dick) Fain both of Allerton and her two sisters, Margaret Leath Anderson of California, and Virginia McArthur of Des Moines.
Judy is survived by her husband, Murl Ray Bottomly of Clearfield, Utah and one brother, James (Midge) of Glendale, Arizona, sister in law Ruby Fain of Allerton, Children, Phillip (Kathy) Thomas of Cary, Illinois, and Sheila (Bill) Hughes of San Jose, California. Also surviving are four grandchildren , Mitchell (Sara) Thomas of Oklahoma, Amber Thomas of Texas, Grant (Katie) Hughes , and Alex Hughes from California, and four great grandchildren. Judy was especially close to her niece, Stacey and husband Carl from Maryland. In addition, Judy is survived by Ray’s family in Utah, including three step children Ernie (Anne) Bottomly, Gail(Clyde) Yardley, Tammy Bacon, and extended family.
A memorial service will be held in Utah on November 16th. A second memorial service will be held in Corydon, Iowa with interment to be in the Corydon Cemetery at a later date.