Judith M. Tepe Obituary
Judith M. (Zamzow) Tepe, age 72 of South Boston, MA passed away on October 9, 2022, at 12:45 am at home. Judith was born on January 16, 1950, in Merrill, WI to Herbert and Mildred (Utech) Zamzow. God gave Judith rebirth on February 5, 1950 in baptism at her home. She received her K-6 education at the one room Naugart Grade School and was active in the local 4-H Club. Judith was a 1968 graduate of Wausau (East) High School. She earned her B.A. in Music Education from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN in 1972 and her M.Ed. in Creative Arts Integration from Lesley University, Cambridge, MA in 1993. She also studied at Westminster Choir College, the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay.
Judith backpacked with friends across western Europe during her summer vacations in 1972 and 1975. Roger Tepe joined her church choir at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Green Bay in the fall of 1975; and they were married at her childhood home on August 7, 1976, on the Zamzow Homestead Family Dairy Farm in Merrill, WI.
Judith was a stay at home mom from 1978 - 1990, devoting endless time and attention to her 3 children and all their school, extracurricular, and music activities and lessons. She continued to be a church musician before and during these years.
Judith taught grades K-8 vocal music and directed choirs for 25 years in the Menominee Reservation Schools (then part of Shawano Public Schools), Howard - Suamico Public Schools, and Green Bay Public Schools - all in Wisconsin. She especially enjoyed directing the elementary and middle school musicals. Judith was awarded the Golden Apple Teacher of Distinction in 1997 and 2003. She also served as Church Choir Director for 20 years at Pilgrim Lutheran and Faith Lutheran Churches in Green Bay, WI.
Judith joined the Green Bay Boy Choir (GBBC) in 1990 as Director of the training choirs. In 1997, she was named Artistic Director. She held this post until the spring of 2009. The GBBC performed in a wide variety of venues and events in the United States and internationally. In 2001 , the choir toured the British Isles with performances in Oxford, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Wales, in addition to a workshop performance with composer Bob Chilcott at King's College, London. In July 2007, the choirs performed in the Opera House in Sydney, Australia, as part of the World Voice Australia Festival.
Judith was a member of the Voice Care Network, American Choral Directors Association, Wisconsin Choral Directors Association, and the Music Educators National Conference. She was honored to be a guest clinician for the WCDA Singing in Wisconsin festival in 2002 and 2008. She served as the WCDA Standards and Repertoire Chair for Boy Choirs from 2000 to 2004. In 2010, Judith served as chair for the WCDA Middle School Honor Choir; and in 2011, she was the Chair for the WCDA Honor Choir Project at their convention in Green Bay.
Judith retired from active teaching in 2010. During her first 5 years of retirement, she took in the arts scene around Green Bay and Door County and took her first lessons in pastel painting.
Upon Roger's retirement in 2015, they moved to South Boston, MA to be closer to family and to explore living in a big city, after spending their whole married life in smaller communities like Green Bay, DePere, New Franken, and Sturgeon Bay (all in Wisconsin).
Since moving to Boston, Judith took advantage of art classes at the Museum of Fine Arts, enjoyed the sights and cultural events of Boston, joined a local Meet Up group of "Women of Boston over 50", and spent many happy times with new friends. She was an active member of Trinity Church in the City of Boston (Episcopal), where she volunteered with various social justice ministries including the International Institute of New England (ESL assistance) and Rosie's Place (homeless shelter for women and children).
Judith and Roger spent many years during their retirement enjoying travel around western Europe and Scandinavia with friends and family. Their trip to the Greek Isles, and especially Santorini, was one of her favorites! She also enjoyed visiting her children and grandchildren at their homes and during family reunions in Vermont.
Judith is survived by her husband of 46 years, Roger, of South Boston. They have three children and five grandchildren: Elizabeth (Robert) Cruz, and their children, RJ and Sabine of Kelso, WA; Jonathan (Breanne Wagner) Tepe, and their son, Max of Luzern, Switzerland; and Rachel (Steve) Mollick, and their sons, Isidore and Sebastian of St. Louis Park, MN. She is also survived by two brothers: Donald (LouAnn) Zamzow of Schofield, WI, and DuWayne Zamzow of Merrill WI, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister-in-law, Gladys Zamzow.
Judith and her family would especially like to thank all the Mass General Hospital staff, doctors, nurses, counselors, hospice staff, and her oncologist, Dr. Jessica Jiyeong Lin, of the Mass General Hospital Center for Thoracic Oncology, for their care and support during her illness. Judith also received excellent care and support during her final days from Care Dimensions (hospice agency).
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 5th, 2022 at 10:00 am at Trinity Church in the City of Boston, 206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116, with the Rev. Kit Lonergan officiating. Interment of ashes will be at Pine Grove Cemetery, Wausau, WI at a later date. There will be a reception with the family following the service in the Trinity Commons (lower level of the church).
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made in Judith's memory to the Trinity Music Program, 206 Clarendon Street, Boston, MA 02116, trinitychurchboston.org. Also to Care Dimensions Hospice, 75 Sylvan Street, Danvers, MA 01923, caredimensions.org.
There will be a separate, informal Remembrance Gathering for family and friends of Judith in the Green Bay, WI area at a later date.
