"If a book is well written,

I always find it too short." — Jane Austen

As a librarian for 43 years, our mother prized books filled with love, adventure and drama, but she always insisted on a happy ending. With hearts full of both sorrow and gratitude, we announce the loss of our beloved mother, Judith “Judy” Sidnam, at the age of 89, on April 27, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. The final chapter of her book culminated in a courageous battle with cancer and then a triumphant trip to heaven.

The chapters of her story filled with adventure when she met and then married her late husband of 59 years in 1957. Bill and Judy created three children (total characters) and worked together on 3000 weekly and monthly garden columns for the Los Angels Times, Orange County Register, San Diego Union-Tribune and The Riverside Press-Enterprise over 36 years. He wrote the articles and she took all the photographs. They particularly loved traveling throughout the West Coast to famous gardens and wineries for articles.

And her life story even included some royal drama and a few presidential visits, when she discovered through her genealogy passion that she was the great, great (plus a bunch of additional “greats”) granddaughter of King and Emperor Charlemagne and also found six U.S. Presidents in our family tree—like buried treasure.

Finally, as in all the best stories, hers was filled with family, friends and love. As the hero of our story (or cornerstone of our family), she was a loving and devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Judy is survived by her three children—Liz Sidnam, Dave Sidnam and Roberta Carl—as well as six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Born in Orange County, CA, Judy resided there until 1998, when she relocated to Auburn, CA. She will be buried next to her husband and parents in Fairhaven Memorial Cemetery in Santa Ana, CA. Mom’s light may have dimmed on earth, but she’s still blazing in our hearts and in Heaven. God is good!