Page 39 - Senior Link Magazine Winter 2025 - Online Magazine

MUSIC & ART
Heather and Ike Harper; and Caitlin
Johnson.
Judith’s career is fascinatingly multi- bored, like she lacked purpose. He
faceted and surprisingly circuitous.
After her first job as a temp at TI,
she received a Pell Grant and earned
a bachelor’s degree in Technical
Writing with a minor in Biology. She
was 30. A two-year stint at Methodist
Hospital sparked a latent desire to
pursue nursing. So, she took out a
loan and earned her RN in 1995 and
completed a bachelor’s in nursing
(BSN) from West Texas State three
semesters later. Her medical career
began with three years in rehab,
psychiatric, and critical care, mostly
nights and weekends. She earned
her Nurse Practitioner (NP) license
in 2003.
Judith spread her lavish and unique
version of God’s love at Hospice
of Lubbock for a time (“I love old
people!”) and then in a Family
Practice office (Dr. Victor Chavez.)
She is certified in women’s health,
family health, and psychiatric
care. “I also loved student health!”
she remembered. Her passion for
nursing was undeniably capacious.
Judith retired from nursing in
2022, and dove into her hobbies
of quilting, sewing costumes for
SCA and Halloween costumes for
grandchildren, drawing, painting,
and karate. (She’s a 4 degree black
th
belt, having earned her first one at
age 51.) The couple is active in their
discipline. Swimming had kept her
physically active and fit. And her
passion for music would be the
impetus and the muscle to see her
through. She decided to go all in,
and she qualified! The oldest Goin’
Band member in Red Raider history.
Band Camp in August was “like Hell
Week for Marines,” but Judith was
determined, and she didn’t know
the meaning of “give up.” Plus,
“the other students were so kind.”
spiritual community, and Judith still So, this fall on Red Raider Game
loves to swim. But something was Days, when the Texas Tech Goin’
missing. Jerry said his wife seemed Band bounds onto the field at Jones
suggested to the lifelong learner that AT&T Stadium, look for the petite
she go back to school. “You have grandmother keeping step with
always loved music, why not take band members nearly 50 years her
a class at Tech?” It was true. Music junior. And if you ever cross paths
was her first love. with the remarkable Judith Johnson,
you’ll want to have a thesaurus
She found out about the Texas handy to describe the experience.
Tech Senior
Academy
which allows
students 55
and older to
take six hours
per semester
tuition-free. She
and Jerry had
been members
of the Lubbock
Community
Band for
years, so the
experienced
piccolo/flute
player enrolled
in Band—and
tried out for
the Goin’ Band.
Because “Why
not?” Over
the course of
her 65 years,
she had never
been afraid
to try. Karate
had taught
her mental
Lubbock Senior Link 39