We recently learned that classmate Judee Browning passed away in Carmichael, California on July 9, 2023.  Judee’s brother Jim provided the following information on Judee’s life.

Judee was born in Tampa, Florida into a military family, as her father was in the Air Force.  As a very young child the family moved to Germany where Judee learned German before English. As is typical with military families, Judee’s family moved frequently. Before coming to Pasco Judee lived in Texas, California, Alaska, and Michigan.  While living in Pasco Judee’s dad was an Air Force recruiter, first in Richland and later in Pasco.

As a senior at PHS Judee was offered a scholarship to attend Columbia Basin College. Unfortunately, however, during the summer following graduation she suffered an accident while horseback riding.  The horse slipped into an irrigation ditch and fell on Judee, resulting in a ruptured spleen and a serious kidney injury. Consequently, she was unable to attend CBC.  Instead, she moved with her family to Travis Air Force Base in California. Judee then attended the Sacramento City College two-year nursing program.  Clearly committed to her nursing career, she went on to obtain a bachelor's degree and subsequently a master’s degree in nursing. She specialized in respiratory care.

An early marriage ended in divorce, but she eventually found the love of her life, Al Evans, who served in the military.  They met while playing bridge, one of Judee’s passions, and were married on December 30,2000 in Reno, Nevada. For several years she and Al owned a 5-acre ranch in Dixon, California, providing Judee with opportunity to raise horses, a love she had since childhood.  As evidence of that passion, Judee worked as part of a horse breeding syndicate. She also raised poodles for show and was a dog groomer, a skill she learned while in Pasco.

Judee and Al later moved to Sacramento, where Al passed away in 2018.  Throughout the last few years of her life Judee suffered from several medical issues, spending a couple of years in assisted living and then time in a board and care home.  Scoliosis, which she had experienced since childhood, and kidney issues associated with the horse falling on her were debilitating.

Jim spoke of how much he appreciated Judee, He indicated that she was a role model for him. Clearly, Judee was the consummate professional nurse, while also nurturing her passion for horses and poodles.