Judith Marie Wiff, 75, a longtime resident of Martell, died suddenly at home on Monday, Jan. 6, 2025.
Daughter of Thomas and Dorthy (Busche) Herman, Judy was born in Rhinelander, Wis., on June 8, 1949.
She was the oldest of 12 children and attended Fernwood and Cassian Woodboro Elementary schools in Harshaw. She graduated in the top 10 from Rhinelander High School in 1967 and was in the Honor Society. Judy received her bachelor’s degree, with honors, in Journalism from UW-River Falls.
During her educational years, Judy was actively involved in both her high school and college newspapers. She was the editor of the high school newspaper and was managing editor of the UW-River Falls Student Voice.
Judy married Carl Heise, Jr., on July 5, 1969. They had two children, Lisa and Brandon. After their divorce, she proudly purchased and renovated her own home where she lived with her children.
Judy married Roger Wiff on June 13, 1981. They lived in River Falls for a short time prior to building their dream home in Martell township where they resided for over 40 years.
She began working in her beloved profession, journalism, at the Prescott Journal in 1974. Not long after, she started at the River Falls Journal and continued her long career with the local newspaper until her retirement in 2016. She was well known for her column, Second Thoughts, where she discussed current events and shared personal stories, much to the chagrin of her children, husband, and siblings.
Judy was active in the River Falls community in many ways. She was involved with Turning Point for Victims of Domestic and Sexual Violence since 1980, served on the board beginning in 1992, and was president from 1994-2008. She led Sharing Families since its beginning in 1988, anonymously connecting River Falls residents with families in need at Christmas, and served as president from the time they were established as an official charitable organization in 1998 until February 2024.
She and Roger were pillars in the faith community at Spirit of Grace United Methodist Church of River Falls where they participated in virtually every aspect of the organization. Judy served on the Staff Parish Committee, regularly volunteered at the church food shelf, led the committee that serves church meals, and recently began serving as recording secretary for the church council. She and Roger regularly served fellowship after church services and helped prepare and serve monthly Saturday community breakfasts.
Together they were a fixture of the church. It is where they met and got married, their children were married, grandchildren were baptized, and they celebrated many life moments, big and small.
Judy was a loving and caring mother and grandmother. She would have done anything for her children and grandchildren; she always took special care to plan days, trips, and adventures that they would enjoy.
When Lisa and Brandon were young, it was important to Judy to plan at least one family trip each year. These vacations included trips to Colorado, Door County, Duluth, Florida, South Dakota, and Washington D.C.
She also took her grandchildren on day trips to Carpenter Nature Center, St. Croix Railroad, National Eagle Center, Pepin for Laura Ingalls Wilder Days, and local parks. She included stops at places like Lark Toys in Kellogg, Minn., and lunch at a place of a grandchild’s choice.
In each other, Judy and Roger found travelling soulmates. Since their retirements the pair travelled extensively: multiple trips to Mazatlan, Viking Cruises on the Rhine and Danube rivers, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Florida and Door County. Trips with her mom, siblings, and other family members included Oregon, Colorado, Duluth, Madison, Iowa, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and the United Kingdom.
Judy has always claimed Harshaw, Wis., as her hometown and loved helping out on the family farm there; whether it be planting or picking potatoes, helping with the annual fall potato sale, or participating in the Christmas wreath business.
Judy will be remembered for her love of unsweetened iced tea, hot tea, yoga, mahjong, movies, good books, gardening, dinners out on Fridays, Mexican food, apple orchards, green houses, entertaining, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and her wicked sense of humor.
Judy is preceded in death by her parents Thomas and Dorthy Herman, her mother-in-law Barbara Wiff, and her younger brothers, Ben, Greg and Glen.
She is survived by her loving husband Roger, her daughter Lisa (Scott) Vanasse of Menomonie and son Brandon (Leslie) Heise of Hudson; as well as her beloved grandchildren Abigail Vanasse (Micah Day), Andrew Vanasse, William Heise, and Jacob Heise; and her great-grandson, Rome Day.
Survivors also include siblings John (Jody) Herman, Sandra (Joel) Herum of River Falls, Cynthia (Dave) Schmitz of Rhinelander, Peter (Donna) Herman of Menomonie, Sharon (Kenneth) Kremsreiter of Harshaw, Richard Herman of Harshaw, Laura (Robin Capen) Herman of Harshaw, Gay (Jeffrey Christensen) Herman of Cottage Grove, Minn. and sister-in-law Mindy Herman Helf of Harshaw. Along with her father-in-law Charles Wiff and brothers-in-law Maynard (Sue) Wiff of Naples, Fla. and James (Pam) Wiff of Cologne, Minn.
Judy will be missed by numerous nieces and nephews, along with cousins by the dozens.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 18, at 11 a.m. at Spirit of Grace United Methodist Church in River Falls, Wis. Visitations will be held Friday, Jan. 17, from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, January 18, from 9-11 a.m. at the church. Interment will occur at a later date at the Union Grove Cemetery in Goodnow, Wis. (Harshaw).
Arrangement by Keehr Funeral Home, Spring Valley