Family and friends are paying tribute to Judy Lyn Sweetland, who died on New Year’s Eve at age 75. Here’s the remembrance they’re sharing with the community:

Judy Lyn (Crosslin) Sweetland

Judy Lyn Sweetland passed away on December 31, 2014 after a long battle with an autoimmune disease.

Judy was born in Yuma, Arizona, on September 16, 1939 to Marvin Thomas Crosslin and Theopa LeVal Piester. She spent her childhood in Yuma, Arizona; Brownfield & Fort Worth, Texas; and Yakima, Washington. In 1960, she graduated from St. Elizabeth School of Nursing as a registered nurse; got married; and moved to Seattle. After raising her children, she moved back to Arizona, longing to have more sunshine in her life (1987). Finally, she would return to Seattle to be closer to family (1995).

Her years in Arizona brought great personal growth. She lived in Wickenburg, Arizona, and worked at The Meadows, a residential treatment center for addictions; and at Rancho del los Caballeros, a guest ranch. While working at The Meadows, she wrote a self-help book for depression, The Sun Always Rises. It was written in response to patients’ requests for something in writing to support what they were learning during their recovery. While in Arizona, she learned the Krieger-Kunz model of Therapeutic Touch. Therapeutic Touch would then become her focus for the remainder of her life. She would treat, teach, and lead workshops, and lead meditations on spirituality and the energy connections to all that is around us.

Friends and family would describe Judy as: reflective, spiritual, loving, kind, caretaker, loyal friend, independent, connected, followed her calling as both a nurse and healer. She drew her energy from nature and loved to hike. Friends, family, and personal connections were extremely important to her.

Early in her nursing career, she was given the assignment to sit with a dying patient and his wife through the night. It was a very long night. She rotated holding each of their hands, while pondering how this was nursing. In the morning, the wife told her, “Thank you for sitting with me.” At that moment, she understood the power of providing compassionate support. She would then do that the rest of her life.

Judy was one of five siblings. She is survived by her brother Ken Crosslin (his two children Don and Thomas) and wife Dorothy; sister Carole Wimer (her husband Vern and their children Trever, Tracy, and Trisha); her two children Carl and John; Carl’s wife Debbie; and two grandchildren, Daphne and Sam. Both sons reside in West Seattle.

Private service will be held. Memorial donations to Indralaya (Eastsound, WA) in her remembrance are welcomed.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries by request, free of charge. Please e-mail the text, and a photo if available, to editor@westseattleblog.com)