Judy A. La Macchia

Service Details

A Celebration of Life will be held in the near future. Details to follow.

 

Judy Ann La Macchia, 76, Kenosha, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2023.

 

Judy was born in Tupelo, MS, on August 24, 1946, the daughter of Clyde and Mildred Barnett. She moved to Kenosha, WI, at 5 years old, and graduated from Tremper High School in 1965.

 

In 1973, Judy eloped to Las Vegas, NV, to marry the love of her life, Franz La Macchia. Judy and Franz had a love story for the ages. Having met as young teenagers, Judy was always Franz’s crush. It would take some time, but eventually Judy gave Franz a chance, and the two were inseparable ever since. With only one witness at their wedding, Franz’s brother Rob, it was the start of a long marriage filled with love and adventure that the rest of us were lucky enough to witness for almost 50 years. Judy and Franz have two children, Shane and Sara.

 

Judy shared Franz’s entrepreneurial spirit. Throughout the 70s, she helped manage her brother-in-law Eugene’s grocery store, 5^th Avenue Foods. It was there that Judy and Franz had the idea to open Kenosha’s first sandwich shop, the Yellow Submarine. With a little help from a friend, their signature sandwiches led to success and the opening of a second location.

 

But Judy’s greatest role was Mom. She never missed a cheerleading competition or a basketball game. She was always there before and after school, making lunches, which often included her signature tuna salad. She showed her children how to enjoy life and have fun, how to stay strong and brave, and most importantly, how to love deeply. Giving a helping hand when needed, Judy always supported her kids. She also loved their friends as her own and opened her doors to all.

 

If Judy was a great Mom, she was an even better Grandma, a role she couldn’t wait for and cherished every moment of. Judy loved her grandchildren, Payton, Lucien, Ezra, and Logan. She particularly enjoyed cuddling and watching cartoons with them in the morning. Nothing made her happier than spoiling her grandchildren and watching them grow.

 

Judy loved shoes, popcorn, and bacon, always extra crispy. She loved fast cars and convertibles, particularly her yellow Saab, even if it was a lemon, and her black Miata, which she used to teach her kids how to drive stick shift at a way too early age. She shared Franz’s love of music and concerts. Having the chance to meet her all-time favorite band, Judy met 3 of the 4 Rolling Stones, where she shined brighter than anyone in the photo opportunity. Her other love was Elvis Presley, another Tupelo native, and rumor has it, she had a close encounter with him as a baby.

 

You could always find Judy and Franz at the movie theater, scooping the loop, out for a walk hand in hand, or watching golf and the Chicago Cubs, which Judy had a surprising wealth of knowledge about. Judy was a creature of habit and comfort, but she still managed to travel the world often, especially to Las Vegas, where she knew how to find the best Wheel of Fortune slot machines. In the early 70s, Judy and Franz backpacked through Europe, and as the story goes, quickly ran out of money due to Judy’s need for her American comforts. She would visit France multiple times later in life, always up for an adventure and excited to discover something new, as long as there was a ham and cheese sandwich. Judy might have been the toughest customer in town, but she knew what she liked.

 

Often, anything with Judy felt like an adventure. Be it trips to Las Vegas with her niece, Tammy, or nights out with her friends, Judy could always find a way to make a joke, give some sass, or laugh at something inappropriate. Always with a smile, Judy could make the best out of anything. Sharing a special bond with her son-in-law and daughter-in-law, their playful banter and good-natured teasing of one another were a testament to their loving relationship.

 

No matter who you were, Judy valued every relationship and was always there for the people she loved, making sure they were happy and having a good time. It didn’t matter if she knew you since kindergarten, met you as a teen, or as she got older. The friendships Judy made along the way were held close to her heart for her whole life. It is often said that Judy was more like a sister or a mom to her friends, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. Never one to make it about herself, she had a way of letting everyone around her shine. Judy really knew how to enjoy life, especially with her husband by her side. In the end, she just needed to be with Franz, holding his hand forever. 

 

Survivors include her two children, Shane (Jody) La Macchia and Sara (Jeremy) Regnier; four grandchildren, Payton, Lucien, Ezra, and Logan; sisters-in-law, Mary (Bob) Karnes and Patty (Terry) Constant; brothers-in-law, Bill La Macchia and Rob (Candy) La Macchia; as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and a wonderful and loving extended family, whom she adored very much.

 

Judy was preceded in death by her loving husband, Franz La Macchia; her mother and father, Clyde and Mildred Barnett; her in-laws, Edmund and Emma La Macchia; her brothers, Douglas (Roselie), Lanois (Jane), Trice, Gary, and Kenneth (Judith) Barnett; her brother-in-law, Eugene La Macchia; her sisters-in-law, Anita and Chickie La Macchia; and her nephew, Jeffrey Kappus.

 

 

“Love me tender – Love me long – Take me in your heart – For it’s there that I belong – And we’ll never part.”