RAPID CITY- Judy Gaalswyk, 71, passed away Tuesday, October 13 at Clarkson Care facility. Judy was born July 1, 1949 in Santa Monica, California, the middle child of the late Dr. Arie and Corolyn (Schansberg) Gaalswyk. She graduated from Lincoln High School, Sioux Falls in 1967 and received a BA in Nursing from Augustana College in 1971. Judy obtained a MA in Cross Cultural Nursing from the University of Washington in 1979. Her research has been cited by other researchers and students.

Judy began her career long (20 years) involvement with the US Public Health Service as part of the Commissioned Officer Student Training while in college. She had a deep empathy and respect for American Indian peoples. After receiving her commission, she served as community health nurse in the Indian Health Service in various locations including McLaughlin, SD., Rapid City, Pine Ridge, SD and Seattle, WA. Her final position with Indian Health Services was at Soo San Hospital in the psychiatric department. She loved to take the patients on outings to the Black Hills and Badlands on the weekends.

Judy was Chairperson for the Department of Nursing, Oglala Lakota College, Pine Ridge, SD in 1988 and again from 2001 to 2004. She was instrumental in obtaining National Institute of Health grants and providing guidance for faculty and students. One of her accomplishments was developing a system to allow students to suspend their studies if needed without loss of status or placement within the school.

She was interviewed for an article in Mother Jones Magazine (Sept/Oct 1992) that described the School of Nursing at OLC and her accomplishments. In 1993, Judy was awarded the Alumni Achievements Award from Augustana College for her work in nursing. She was a supporter of the Center for Western Studies at Augustana.

Judy was also a consultant with Job Corp in Seattle and worked as a psychiatric nurse in the mental health unit of Harborview Medical Center.  After retiring from the USPHS, Judy devoted time to caring for her father and later taught Public Health Nursing at Presentation College in Fairmont, MN.

Judy loved to travel--taking trips with friends and family. Some of the places included China, Brazil, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and a river cruise through central Europe. She visited friends all over the US often taking a family member with her. There are many photos of her trips, but she was usually behind the camera. She also loved music, playing the piano (which originally belonged to her grandmother), organ, french horn and singing in choirs (member of Dakota Chorale) and when alone. She really enjoyed the women's fishing trips family reunions, especially when a large number of her 51 first cousins and their families could attend. Judy seemed to know everyone and all of the children's names. For the 100 ^th anniversary of the Gaalswyks in the US in August 2008, Judy helped both her brother who needed nursing care and their father to attend.

Judy loved the arts and was always ready to go to a play or concert. She also loved cooking and hiking with friends. She hiked the Grand Canyon twice, the Smokey Mountains and Glacier National Park in addition to several smaller hikes. In recent years, it was not unusual to hear Judy say that she had walked up Dinosaur Hill from her house a couple times a day.

Judy was active in or supported a number of organizations--nursing, ecological, political, religious, and community service.  She was most recently active in Democracy in Action.

While in Sioux Falls, she was active in functions and organization at First Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls and was on the Board of Directors of Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota. In Rapid City, she attended Emmanuel Episcopal Church and sang in the choir.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Joel and John. She is survived by her nephew, Ian Thomas, grandnephew, Arie Thomas, niece, Kari Gaalswyk and three sisters-in-law Julie Thomas, Char Gaalswyk and Chloe Gaalswyk and numerous cousins and friends

Memorial services will be held October 19 at 1pm at Emmanuel Episcopal Church 717 Quincy St. Rapid City.

Find the YouTube link for Emmanuel's YouTube Channel for Live Streaming on Monday at 1:00 p.m.. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=emmanuel+episcopal+church+rapid+city+sd

A second memorial service will be held at First Lutheran Church Sioux Falls with inurnment of ashes at Hills of Rest cemetery, Sioux Falls.

Please direct condolences for family to Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, family is requesting donations be made to :

Dr. Arie Gaalswyk Mathematics Scholarship Fund at Augustana College, Sioux Falls

Oglala Lakota College Kyle, South Dakota

Charity of your choice in Judy's name