Judy Engblom

Judy Engblom, 65, Rockford, died Sunday morning, September 20, 2009 in the University of Chicago Medical Center. Born January 26, 1944 in Chicago, daughter of Emil Syc and Olga Jachec Syc Chew. Rockford resident since 1976. Married Philip Engblom on August 12, 1988. Judy will be remembered most in this community for the nineteen years she spent as the founding Executive Director and very public face and articulate voice of the Northern Illinois Hospice Association. Countless families helped by NIHA over the years as well as volunteers and staff still remember the way Judy personified in such an exceptional way, the compassionate purpose and loving heart of the hospice idea. She was always surprised and deeply gratified, even years after leaving NIHA, by the many expressions of gratitude that came her way from both individuals and families. Judy also had many other strong commitments, affiliations and responsibilities in the community over the years. At various times she was a board member and treasurer of the Rockford YWCA, board member of the Womens Crisis Center, Executive Director of the Southwest Business Association, executive committee member of the Illinois State Hospice Association, and more recently an active member of the League of Women Voters and especially their Voter Service Committee. She often said that the one award among many that she prized the most was for the 1980 Feminist of the Year, presented to her by the Rockford Chapter of NOW. Judy was a passionate cook. She loved gardening, bird-watching, and dogs and cats of every breed and type. She had a heart as big as the world and a smile to match. In the final years of her long chronic illness, as her physical energies waned, she took pleasure most from her circles of close friends and her adoring family. She carried on deep and abiding friendships with her decades-long feminist consciousness raising group. In later years she was a much loved regular member of the Rockford Meditation Group. After receiving the Mindfulness Trainings from her root teacher, the Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh in 2003 she also took an active part in the retreats of the Lakeside Buddha Sangha of Evanston. During her final hospitalizations at Rockford Memorial Hospital and at the University of Chicago Medical Centers, in the midst of her own crisis of health, she thought only of teaching her care-givers (doctors, nurses, family and friends) the meaning of "mouth yoga" -the joy of a simple smile. And no one did it better than she. The name her root teacher gave her was "Loving Kindness of the Heart." Survivors include her beloved husband, Philip; son, Eric Carra; brothers, Duke (Donna) Syc and Joe (Shea Djang) Chew;brother-in-law, David (Lillian) Engblom; nieces and nephews, Douglas and Duncan Djang, Jonothon and Jaye Syc Natasha Martin, Peter Engblom, Josiah Engblom, Linnea Van Pelt,; aunts, uncles, special cousins and many devoted friends. Predeceased by her parents, step-father, uncle, John Syc; aunt, Evie Kwiat; brother-in-law, Jonathan Engblom and her husbands parents, Walter and Martha Engblom. A memorial service to honor Judys life will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 26, 2009 in Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Rd. with Rev. Stephen May leading the service. Visitation from 1:00 p.m. until time of the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Amnesty International, 53 West Jackson, Suite No.731, Chicago, IL 60604, or to the charity of donors choice. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.fitzgeraldfh.com. Judy will be profoundly missed by hosts of friends. Her unqualified love and passion for life and deep and utterly spontaneous compass