Judith Ann Handwerker Obituary
Most beloved wife, mother, grand- mother, sister, aunt, cousin, and devoted friend died peacefully at home on May 18, 2017 at the age of 66. Judith was born to Katherine and Major Bernard Bauman in Berkeley, California, on November 2, 1950. When she was a teen, her father was reassigned and stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas, where Judy attended both junior high and high school. Upon graduating high school, she attended the University of California at Irvine from 1968 to 1972. Upon receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree, she was accepted to the Graduate Program in Sociology at UCI. There, she met her future husband Mark Handwerker, who was working as a graduate student in the Department of Biology. They were married on August 24, 1974. In 1976, Judith accompanied Mark to Puerto Rico where they both worked as laboratory assistants at the Laboratory of Neurobiology in Old San Juan. They returned home to California in 1978.
At that time, Judith returned to the banking profession, having worked as a teller for Security Pacific Bank while in college. She spent the next 15 years working as an assistant branch manager and branch manager before becoming an Executive Vice President in Charge of Marketing for Security Pacific Bank Corporate, Los Angeles. Security Pacific Bank was later acquired by the Bank of America, and Judy remained in that position, to lead in the development of automatic teller technology and services. In 1993, she was diagnosed with lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. A year later, she retired from the banking industry and became a private professional fiduciary and conservator.
Refusing to allow her worsening illnesses to slow her down, Judith became active in the fundraising efforts and goodwill programs of the City of Hope, the Arthritis Foundation, and Rotary International. Over the years, she was awarded Certificates of Recognition by the California State Assembly and Senate, as well as by the City of Menifee Chamber of Commerce. She served as Honorary Mayor of the City of Menifee. Despite the progressive nature of her illnesses, Judith walked the Dublin Marathon in 1999 and 2001 to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation. Judith is survived by her husband Mark; daughter Margo; son Aaron; and granddaughter Willa Mae Cross.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the City of Hope, the Arthritis Foundation, and Rotary International.
