Judith Carol Hutson

Judy (Yeltema) Hutson, age 90, of Los Alamos, NM, passed away the morning of Friday, September 4 after a brief hospitalization. Judy is survived by Richard Hutson, her husband of nearly 70 years, daughters Jan Holly (Charlie) and Lara Hutson (Michael Tillou), grandchildren Langdon and Bridger Holly and Adam and Cameron Tillou, and cousins Dick Usher (Mary) and Nancy Usher.

Beneath her gentle exterior lay a strength and determination that allowed Judy to overcome more than her share of challenges. As a result, she got more joy and purpose out of life than many of far greater means.

Judy was born in Paducah, Kentucky in 1936. At the age of 9, Judy moved to Torrance, CA, where her single mother raised her. Despite growing up with limited means and opportunities, Judy became an accomplished pianist – even performing on TV – and excelled in school. After graduating high school she attended El Camino Community College and then the University of Colorado, Boulder, where she received both Bachelor’s and PhD degrees.

In addition to music, the outdoors was always one of her greatest passions and is what led her to move to Colorado. There she met her future husband Dick in a rock-climbing class. The pair forged their bond through many years of hiking, climbing, and skiing. After graduating from CU in 1958, Judy married Dick and, in 1961, they moved to Boston, where Judy took a position in a lab at MIT that was working on deciphering the genetic code – a period believed by many to have been the most exciting in all of biology. After two years in Boston, Judy and Dick moved back to Boulder for their PhDs at CU. While there, they made many wonderful, life-long friends and had their first daughter, Jan. They then moved to Los Alamos, NM, where they had their second daughter, Lara. As Jan and Lara grew older, Judy went back to work, taking a position at Los Alamos National Laboratory where she did research in the health sciences.

Throughout her time in New Mexico, Judy continued to enjoy skiing, hiking, and music, and added swimming and spending time with her grandchildren to her list of passions. She also became an enthusiastic international folk dancer, attending workshops across the country and even teaching herself Romanian and Hungarian so that she could visit both countries and serve as an interpreter for folk-dancing friends.

Although not religious in the traditional sense, Judy was very spiritual, guided by a philosophy of living in the present moment with gratitude and contentment. She approached the end of her life without fear, finding peace knowing that she had lived fully, loved deeply, and was loved by many.

In memory of Judy, please consider making a donation to your favorite charity. A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date.