Judith Mclaren Napier

West Des Moines - Judith M. Napier, 88, died on September 4, 2024 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born on January 13, 1936 in Ames, Iowa, the daughter of Jack and Christine McLaren. The McLaren family lived in Des Moines and started the Ashby Avenue/Wallace Lane Christmas lighting tradition in Beaverdale. She grew up attending the Westminster Presbyterian Church.

Judi graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1954 and received her nursing degree from the University of Iowa in 1958. She was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and was the University of Iowa Dolphin Queen. She married John G. Napier on August 31, 1957. They had five children and divorced in 1974. Judi and the children moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Judi graduated from Creighton Law School, one of few women in her class. Judi was the Clerk of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nebraska for twenty-four years. Judi moved to Iowa with her partner and the love of her life, Rod Shkolnick, in 2014. She was active in the Omaha Assistance League, P.E.O., the Omaha Arts Council, and the Omaha Symphony Guild. She imbued her children with love of the arts, travel, and education. Her relentlessly positive outlook and her cheerful and caring nature made the lives of those closest to her richer and sunnier.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her son, John, and her sister, Joan. Surviving are her other children: Julia, West Des Moines; Jefferson, Raleigh, NC; James and his wife, Patricia, West Des Moines; and Jayne and her husband Brian, Bronxville, NY. She is also survived by her brother, John, six grandchildren: Ian (John); Charles and Elizabeth (James); and Avery, Julia, and Anders (Jayne), and many beloved nieces and nephews.

No traditional service of remembrance will be held for Judith. As her body was donated to Harvard University and Des Moines University for scientific purposes, her remains will be unavailable for many months. At a future date, her family will gather and scatter her ashes at Yosemite National Park where the remains of her son and sister were also scattered. Those wishing to honor Judi may make gifts in her memory to either the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60601 or the Omaha Symphony Guild, 1905 Harney St., Omaha, NE 68102.