Judy Krakower's Obituary
Judy Krakower (nee Duckworth) was born February 27, 1949 in Flint, Michigan to George and Betty Duckworth. In her junior year at Flint Northern High School, while working on the school newspaper, she met Jeff Krakower, a senior who was the paper’s editor. Judy and Jeff discovered they lived only a few blocks from each other and became good friends. On New Year’s Eve 1964, they went on their first date and celebrated the next fifty-one New Year’s Eves together thereafter.Judy attended Flint Community College. After college, Jeff decided to head West to Stanford for medical school. Judy and Jeff pondered their options and Judy proposed by telegram that they get married. Jeff readily accepted before she could change her mind and they were married on August 16, 1969. Judy was 20 years old. The marriage would last more that 47 years until Judy’s death.The young Krakowers were poor (Jeff paid for medical school with scholarships, Judy’s earnings and with help from the Navy) but managed to solve whatever problems arose largely due to Judy’s ingenuity and charm. Judy held a variety of clerical and administrative positions at pharmaceutical companies, the Palo Alto Jewish Community Center and Stanford Hospital developing administrative skills and climbing the corporate ladder. Jeff worked his way through his medical studies receiving his MD degree in 1974.After 2 years of residency at Stanford for Jeff, he accepted a position at the National Cancer Institute and Judy and Jeff headed east again to Bethesda, MD. While Jeff did cancer research, Judy was an administrator in the Department of Psychiatry at Fairfax Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia. In 1978 Judy and Jeff headed back to Stanford where Judy became a budget analyst for the University while Jeff was Chief Resident Physician at the Hospital.By 1980, Jeff had entered his first private medical practice at Sequoia Hospital in Redwood City while Judy continued at Stanford. In 1983, Judy and Jeff welcomed their only child, Joshua Aaron, to the world. In 1986 and on several occasions thereafter, Judy helped Jeff opened new solo medical practices and Judy became more involved with the business management of his practices and their other family financial ventures. Eventually, Judy left Stanford to become a full time business partner with Jeff.Judy devoted a great deal of her time to Josh, and was always available as informal counselor to his friends and team Mom in his numerous sports endeavors. Judy taught Josh to cook (he is an excellent chef) and instilled a love of reading and knowledge. Both Judy and Jeff willingly admitted that Josh was their most successful joint venture ever!Life provided a number of substantial new obstacles beginning in 2000 when Jeff found out he had cancer. A decade long battle ensued with frequent surgeries and chemotherapy. Judy was always by his side providing supporting through a stressful battle that has so far been successful. As Jeff’s parents aged, Judy wanted to bring them into her home to provide support. That she did, although times became difficult when Dad developed dementia and became challenging to manage at home. Nonetheless Judy persisted, and Dad lived with Judy and Jeff until his death.Judy continued her love for family oriented activities with Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah dinners yearly for more than 20 years. These joyful get togethers gave the entire family time to relax, laugh and give thanks for Judy’s always bountiful hospitality. Judy also had quite the penchant for crafts. Her many projects included hand made greeting cards, wreaths, birdhouses, and hand painted table clothes. Judy was an avid reader often consuming 20-25 books a month and destroying Kindle after Kindle along the way. She had a wide variety of musical tastes from Janis Joplin to the Dixie Chicks to Antonio Vivaldi. The music selections that are part of her celebration today were some of her favorite classical pieces.A few final observations are in order. Judy was a caring, optimistic person who was always willing to help and to care for others. She gave no regard to race, religion, national origin, or sexual preference in choosing her friends. Judy always put doing what was right above doing what was expedient. I never heard Judy express true dislike for anyone and she found redeeming qualities in everyone. Judy will be greatly missed and never forgotten by me or by anyone else who was lucky enough to have befriended her.Judy is survived by her husband, Jeffery M. Krakower, MD, her son and daughter-in-law, Josh and Amber Krakower, her brother Michael Duckworth (and wife Cathy), her sisters-in-law Andrea King and Susan Krakower, her nieces Arielle King and Angela Timilione, her nephews Joey Timilione and Troy King, and her devoted Labrador retriever, Marley. Her sister, Nancy Willies, passed away in 2016.
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