Judith Kay Bantam

Memorial Services for Judy K. Bantam will be conducted from the United Methodist Church in Alma, Nebraska on Friday, February 27, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Jim Bendorf officiating. Private Family inurnment will be held at the Alma Cemetery, prior to the services.

Judith Kay "Judy" Bantam, 74 years of age, of Alma, passed away on Friday, February 20, 2015, after a brief battle with Pancreatic Cancer at Harlan County Health Systems in Alma. She had also been suffering from a heart and respiratory illness the last few years. Judy was born July 31, 1940 in Harlan County, near Oxford, Nebraska, the eldest of two daughters to Clifford Arthur and Pearl Pauline (Huff) Bash. She received her primary education from District #6 Country school and graduated from Alma High School with the class of 1958.

As a young girl, Judy enjoyed playing in the creek, with her kittens and making mud pies. She was baptized and was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which later merged with the United Methodist Church of Alma in 1960. Over the years, Judy taught Sunday school and Bible school; she also attended Sunday school, Circle and enjoyed singing in the choir. She was a Brownie and Girl Scout Member and a member of 4-H, where she took cooking and sewing projects and beef and hogs, all to the county and state fair. Judy later became a 4-H Leader.

Judy enjoyed gardening, sewing, cooking and baking. She especially enjoyed time spent with her family and loved all her grandchildren but did not get to see them often enough.

Judy worked for a short time at Riley's Café and the Equity Creamery in Orleans, Nebraska.

On January 18, 1959, she was united in marriage to John William Wessels in Alma. To this union four children were born: Jeff Ree, Julie Anna, Joel William and Jill Lynn. The family made their home in Alma. Judy and John divorced in 1995.

Judy helped on the farm, driving truck for many years and also wherever else she was needed. Over the years, she was employed in Orleans as the Housing Authority Director, at Harlan Feeders, and was the Harlan County Weed Superintendent. She was also employed at Brooks Ford in Oxford and Zeller-Zulauf Furniture Store in Alma. Judy also worked several part-time jobs including, TriCo Farm Service, the Harlan County Hospital and most recently the United Methodist Church in Alma.

On December 31, 2004 Judy was united in marriage to Leo Earl Bantam in Panama, Nebraska.

Judy was a member of the Mix-n-Match Extension Club, the Athena Sorority, Red Hat Society and the Wednesday Lunch Bunch Ladies.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents; brother-in-law, Charles Park; step-daughter, Margery Bantam; and step-son, Jeff (J.B.) Bantam, in earlier years.

She leaves to mourn her passing; her husband, Leo of Alma; children: Jeff Wessels of Cambridge, Nebraska, Joel Wessels and his wife, Pam of Alma, Julie Grove and her husband, Marshall of Yakima, Washington and Jill Platt and her husband, James of Richardson, Texas; step-sons: Michael Bantam and his wife, Lorri of Alma and Kirk Bantam of Holdrege; sister, Jeri Park of Edison, Nebraska; grandchildren: Spencer, Brad and Bryce Wessels, William Wessels, Derek Bantam and his wife, Jennifer of Curtis, Nebraska, Nicole Juricek and her husband, Jesse of Crete, Nebraska, QuAnna and Meeghan Grove and Ashley, Daniel and Emily Platt; step-grandsons: Jeffery and Jarrod Bantam; great-grandchildren: Kevin and Tyler Bantam and Grant Juricek; along with many nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Memorial Book Signing will be held on Thursday, February 26, 2015 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma.

A memorial has been established in Judy's honor and kindly suggested to the United Methodist Church in Alma.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Bauer-Torrey & Mach Funeral Home in Alma is in charge of the arrangements.