Judith Ann Felton's Obituary
Judith Ann Felton (nee Eckart), known as Judy to all her friends, passed away peacefully on February 5th, 2026 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. At 90 years young, Judy lived a full life filled with family, activities, and adventures. While she was born and raised in LaCrosse, Wisconsin along with her dear sister Sally by her parents, William and Cora Eckart, Judy spread her wings after high school. She completed 3 years of college, the first in her family to attend, and earned a certification in Medical Technology. She met a medical student while working in a LaCrosse hospital lab, and the rest was history.
Judy married Owen Felton in November 1959, and they settled in Madison, WI. Owen finished his medical training, and they were joined by a daughter and son who they raised to be lifelong learners and independent thinkers, full of curiosity and ready to meet the challenges of life. While they moved many times, they finally were able to put down roots in Neenah, WI, close to their families while their kids were still young.
Judy was naturally friendly and outgoing, was kind and generous with her smile and her time, loved to have fun and had a great sense of humor. She loved music, especially classical and popular music, and dancing when she was younger. She loved growing her own produce in a large garden at the Neenah home, but she was definitely not a friend to the rabbits who visited that garden! Judy was a quilter, making unique quilts for each of her kids, grandkids and some of the family dogs. She was always taking classes to learn something new, but she really made her mark with Nantucket baskets, which she made in many shapes and sizes (including birdhouses with copper roofs!) She loved playing games of any type, especially Candyland with her grandkids who nicknamed her Queen Frostine, a nickname that stuck forever. Judy never let cold weather in WI stop her, learning to cross country ski and ice skating on frozen Lake Winnebago with an old sheet for a sail. When her kids/grandkids were coming to visit, she always went the extra mile to make special treats and plan cool day trips. She especially enjoyed taking her grandkids cherry picking near her home in Egg Harbor WI, even when they weren’t her cherries to pick…. she’d just smile and say don’t worry about it! She enjoyed working puzzles, and would bring one out to work with her kids and grandkids when they visited… she loved that they all worked it together.
Judy was always close with her sister Sally, and they would talk every night when they could about everything and nothing, reminiscing and giggling. Their bond was so strong, almost like a twin bond, though they were over 4 years apart.
While Judy was active with many organizations during her life, she was especially proud of her years of service with the Medical Auxiliary in Neenah, WI, where she was part of the team that helped start a car seat loaner program for new parents well before car seats became mandatory.
Judy was always a glass half full person, finding the positive in every situation. Though far from home when living abroad for 3 years while Owen was in the Air Force, she embraced the opportunity to travel to at least 18 different countries, learn a new language, visit more castles and cathedrals than any young child should have to visit, and was able to take her parents who came for a visit to find distant relations of her mom’s in Norway. After Owen’s passing, Judy had a few more adventures, including trips to VA Beach, Key West, Universal Studios to visit Harry Potter World, and a Canadian Rockies train trip where she walked on a glacier, which was on her bucket list.
In 2021, Judy moved to Delaware to be closer to her daughter. While she missed her friends in Egg Harbor and Punta Gorda, she was happy to have family close in the last chapter of her life. Hers was a life well lived, and she would want us to remember her with a laugh and a smile at a good memory you shared with her. Though we will miss her terribly, we know the angels were waiting with open arms to welcome her home. Her family would like to thank Delaware Hospice and the many caring nurses and caregivers at Brandywine Seaside Pointe who made her final days so comfortable.
Judy is survived by her daughter Debra Porter (Steve); son, Thomas Felton (Tanja); sister Sally Raymond; grandchildren Lucas Porter, Nicholas Porter (Meagan), Alec Felton and Nicole Felton; one great granddaughter, Sadie Porter; nephews Mike Raymond and Mark Raymond; sister-in-law Margo Connor; and her husband’s stepsister, Leslie Kramer.
While the family will celebrate her life privately, if you feel inclined, consider remembering her with a donation to your favorite charity in her honor- she held a special place in her heart for organizations helping children, veterans and animals.
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