Obituary: Judith Buck Coolbaugh

Judith Buck Coolbaugh passed away on May 30, 2012, at the Carson Tahoe Hospital. She was born on August 5, 1943, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Judy worked her way through college at San Jose State. After her graduation, she lived in Honk Kong and London. She then became a high school teacher in the San Jose area where she taught for ten years. She and her husband, Jim, moved to Nevada and bought a home in Carson Valley in 1978 where they lived until his death in 2008.

Judy began working for the Carson City School District in 1980 where she was a business teacher at Carson High School and then taught at the juvenile detention center. She began teaching at Eagle Valley Middle School in 1984. Judy was a memorable teacher. Students probably have forgotten most of the teachers they have had, but none have ever forgotten Mrs. Coolbaugh with her big wigs and long, long fingernails and her social studies presentations. Some have called the years between 1984 and 1998 (when she retired) "The Coolbaugh Era" at EVMS.

Judy and Jim (Jeepin' Jim) loved to explore and camp and attend military shows where they showed their military vehicles. Judy was a traveler. She was not happy unless she was either planning a trip or on a trip. After Jim's death, she cruised the Amazon, the Caribbean and later the Antarctica. She's traveled through most of Europe. She did a Yangsee River cruise. She was proud to say she had been to all seven continents. To support her "traveling habit", Judy worked at the legislature every other year.

Since Judy had no living blood relatives, her friends were very important to her, and she had many. You were lucky to have Judy for a friend. She is survived by her stepchildren, Tim and Barbara Coolbaugh and their children, James, Jack and Nicholas; Sam and Victoria Coolbaugh and their children, Sydney and Scott; Amy and Chris Lebenzon and their children, Kate and Diana.

At her request, there will be no memorial service for Judy. A private celebration of life is being planned by her friends. Those who wish to honor her should contribute to the Lupus Foundation of America or the ASPCA.