Judith "Judy" A. Mayer née Ahlquist, 78, of Rock Island entered life eternal on Friday, April 26, 2024, at UnityPoint Health Trinity, Rock Island.

Visitation will be Friday, May 3, 2024, from 4:00pm to 7:00pm at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory Rock Island, IL. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at 11:00am at First Lutheran Church in Rock Island, Illinois with visitation an hour beforehand. St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island will host a reception following the funeral.

Judy was born on July 24, 1945, in Marianna, Florida to Gerald and Vivyonne (Ekstrum) Ahlquist while her father was serving as a navigation instructor for the Army Air Corps following a decorated tour in Europe and her mother was serving as a nurse. After the war, her family moved back to Minnesota. Judy and her younger sister, Janice, grew up in St. Cloud, Minnesota where her father taught at St. Cloud State College (now University). Judy graduated from St. Cloud Tech High School. Following her mother's example, Judy enrolled in nursing school at Mounds-Midway School of Nursing. After two years the family moved to Aurora, Illinois where her father taught at Aurora College (now Aurora University). Judy enrolled at Aurora College and graduated with a bachelor's degree in history in 1968.

While at Aurora College she met Gregory A. Mayer, a fellow history major. Judy and Greg were married on December 27, 1969, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Warrenville, Illinois. The couple lived in St. Paul, Minnesota while Greg attended Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary.

In 1972, during Greg's internship at Jackson Park Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they welcomed their son Gregory Allen James Mayer.

Greg's first call as a pastor was in Dongola, Illinois to the congregations of First Lutheran Church of Dongola and St. John's Lutheran in unincorporated Union County, the oldest Lutheran church in Illinois. In 1975 they were blessed with their daughter, Kristine Anna Marie Mayer.

Judy and Greg moved to pastoral calls at ELCA churches in Milledgeville (Trinity Lutheran), Sandwich (Salem Lutheran), and Rock Island (First Lutheran) before Greg retired in 2014. After Greg's retirement, they became active members of St. John's Lutheran Church in Rock Island.

Judy had a passion for genealogy and volunteered for many years at the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College. She was fiercely proud of her 100% Swedish ancestry. Anyone wishing a more detailed description of her family lineage can consult the many boxes of notes she has left her family.

Judy loved her family, including her many cousins, second cousins, and first and second cousins once removed. She was especially proud of her grandchildren Conrad and Katherine Mayer whom she asked after and talked about many times in her final illness.

Judy loved to travel. She travelled multiple times to Sweden and Germany as well as to Denmark, Norway, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. She spent more time in graveyards and pouring over church records than most tourists. She also loved spending time with family and friends in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Starting with Linda Cat as a child in Minnesota, Judy loved the many cats in her life of which there are too many to list. She also developed a fascination with penguins.

Judy's strong Christian faith made her a supporter of social justice and progressive causes. She was a loyal Democrat as attested to by the many yard signs she displayed at election time. While in no way a political strategist, she enjoyed volunteering – especially on her son's campaigns for state and local office.

Judy enjoyed entertaining. She and Greg enjoyed having friends and family over for formal holiday dinners and informal gatherings in their back yard. She loved helping her daughter organize events for the residents of Friendship Manor in Rock Island. Judy and Greg opened their home in Sandwich to students from the Illinois Math & Science Academy (IMSA) and served as a Rotary International host family, developing life-long friendships with IMSA students from across Illinois and with German exchange student Markus Kruger.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Vivyonne Ahlquist, a brother-in-law David Beagley, a sister-in-law Linda Mayer, and niece Maggie Mayer. She is survived by her husband, Rev. Greg Mayer, her children Kristine Mayer of Rock Island and G. Allen (Carey) Mayer of Springfield, Illinois and her grandchildren Conrad and Katherine Mayer. She is also survived by her sister Janice Beagley of Ames, Iowa, her brothers-in-law David Mayer of Oil City, Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Mayer of Sandwich, Illinois, and Philip (Betsy) Mayer of Somonauk, Illinois and by six nieces and nephews.

The family asks that memorials be made to St. John's Lutheran Church or First Lutheran Church of Rock Island or to one of the many charities and causes that she supported.

Condolences may be shared with the family on the Tribute Wall.