Obituary: Judith Ann Frances Jepson

Born to eternal life on August 26, 2024, at the age of 82.

We welcome the community of friends and family to celebrate and honor her life and accomplishments on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at the United Methodist Church in Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Visitation will be held between 11am and 1pm, with services to follow. At 1:40, her mortal remains will be accompanied in procession to Zur Ruhe Cemetery in Cedarburg where she will be laid to rest next to her husband Noel K. Jepson, Jr.  The family will host a reception for family and community members to celebrate her life between 2:30pm and 4:30pm at the Cedarburg Art Museum.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to her favorite community organizations are appreciated. The organizations include The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, the Cedarburg History Museum, the Cedarburg Community Foundation, the Cedarburg Cultural Center, and the Ozaukee County Historical Society.

Judy was born on November 13, 1941, in Brillion, Wisconsin, where she spent her early years, graduating from Brillion High School in 1960. She continued her education and passion as a writer to graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Journalism in 1964.  Judy was determined to continue her education, and while working full-time, she earned a Master’s Degree in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1966.

Judy worked in advertising and as a copy editor during the early years of her professional life.  Her skills in advertising led her to work as a promotional assistant at Ariens Company, in Brillion, Wisconsin, where she met her future husband, Noel Jepson. They married on December 16, 1967. Noel and Judy moved to Cedarburg when they purchased the historic Victorian home of E. G. Wurthmann in 1976.

Her early creative work can be found in various advertising campaigns, including a prominent Koss Company campaign of the late 1960s. In 1984, Judy joined Exclusively Yours magazine as a copy writer, freelance writer, and editorial assistant. By the 1990s, Judy become the magazine’s editor, and she remained in that position until retirement in 2008. Her love of writing continued throughout her life, contributing to various publications for over forty years.

Judy’s passion for historic preservation and dedication to the community of Cedarburg led to a life of public service. Judy served on the Landmarks Commission for 31 years (1989-2022). She dedicated her time to numerous boards and community organizations in the area, including the Ozaukee Historical Society, The Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts, and the Cedarburg Cultural Center. In 2002, she was recognized with the Meritorious Civic Service award by the City of Cedarburg.

Judy’s love of Cedarburg inspired her to curate an extensive collection of Cedarburg art, history, and material culture for more than three decades.  She loved to discover the history of every item or artifact.  Wearing her iconic orange Cedarburg Bulldogs T-shirt, Judy would eagerly tell the cultural and economic history of Cedarburg through the thousands of items in her collection. The extensive collection is now with the City of Cedarburg, and some artifacts are on display at the Cedarburg History Museum. 

Judy will be sadly missed by family, friends and the City of Cedarburg which she loved so dearly. Judy is survived by her loving family, including her son, David Jepson; daughter Wendy Jepson; son-in-law Christian Brannstrom; grandsons Nicolas Brannstrom and Andreas Brannstrom; sister Laurel Nett; brother-in-law Les Nett; and many more loving nieces and nephews.  Judy was preceded in death by her husband Noel K. Jepson, Jr.; father Arthur L. Krueger; mother Frances Krueger; brother Rollo Krueger; and sister-in-law Marcy Krueger.