Obituary

Judith Eileen Forslund was known as many things to many people. She was a loved one, a friend, and someone special. To family and friends who knew her best, Judi will be remembered as a very exceptional person.

Judi was born on February 21, 1953, at Divine Infant Hospital in Wakefield, Michigan. She was the daughter of John and Patricia (Hemkes) Negri.
When Judi was born, Dr. Franck said to her mother, Pat, 'you won't believe what she's doing'! Pat asked what, and the doctor replied 'sucking her thumb'!
Judi grew up in Wakefield, Michigan.

Judi was raised with two siblings. She had one older brother, John, and an older sister, Jayne. Growing up she was Judy (she changed the spelling later on) but John and Jayne called her 'Pudy'.

As a young girl, Judi had a number of interests. She took piano lessons and liked to sing. Frequently Jayne would take Judi to school with her for half a day. Judi would sing for everybody! She also liked to ice skate, jump rope, swim, and play with her Barbie Doll collection. She belonged to the “Brownies”, (the younger group to the Girl Scouts) and she was a baton twirler for a drill team sponsored by the VFW that marched in parades. In their early teens, Jayne played guitar and they would sing together in Jayne’s room and their mom would listen from the bottom of the steps. As a young adult, Judi enjoyed playing tennis, cross-country skiing, snow skiing, swimming, bicycling and danced and sang in the area “Follies”.

Judi attended MacDonald Elementary School and Wakefield High School until 1968. In 1968, she transferred to Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, MI. While attending high school, she was a member of both the band, playing French horn, and choir. After high school, Judi attended and graduated from the Duluth Academy of Hair Design. She worked briefly for Ruth Maki, then proceeded to open her own salon, Guys And Dolls, in Ironwood, Michigan.

Always considered a good friend to those she knew, Judi enjoyed a broad group of acquaintances and several very close friends during her lifetime. While growing up, some of her best friends were Jane Valesano, Adele Backlund and Joanne Koruga. Later in life, she became friends with Nancy Semenak and Peggy Peterson.

On February 10, 1973 Judi exchanged wedding vows with Phillip Clarence Forslund at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Michigan.

Judi was blessed with two children, a daughter Alicia (born in August of 1979) and a son Benjamin (born in August of 1982).

Judi enjoyed what she did for a living. Her primary occupation was a hairdresser. She received her original license in Minnesota and subsequently held licenses in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. She worked in numerous salons and owned/operated salons in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. She and her family moved to shawnee in 1994. At the time of her death, she owned and operated her own salon, La Bella, In Shawnee, Oklahoma. To her clients, she was much more than a hairdresser.

Judi enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were flower gardening, cooking (especially Italian!), bunco, dogs, singing in the church choir, spending time with her family and decorating anything!

Judi’s faith was important to her. Judi was baptized at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wakefield, MI as well as confirmed there. Judi celebrated her first communion there as well. Upon marriage to Phil Forslund, she converted to the Lutheran faith. She was an active member at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

She enjoyed traveling and time away on vacations. It was a chance for her to renew and relax, to visit new places and experience new things. Judi's favorite vacation was a trip to Italy in 2013. While there, she met many of her relatives who reside in Torino, Locana, Rosone and Serasole Reale. They also went to Parma to see Phil's Cousin Halla, her husband Paolo and her daughter, Finna. Halla is originally from Iceland, but went to Italy to study opera and decided to stay.

Judi was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Her favorites were her two German Shepherds, Gobi and Hans. Throughout her life, Judi also had a Great Pyrenees, Max; a Golden Retriever, Sadie; two Bichons, Ricco and Dante.

Judi passed away on January 14, 2016 at Saint Anthony Hospital in Shawnee, Oklahoma. She is survived by her husband Phil and her children Ali and Ben. Services were held at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Michigan. Judi was laid to rest in Sunset Acres Cemetery in Ironwood Township, Michigan.

Simply stated, Judi was a good and kind person, an individual who will for all time be remembered by her family and friends as being a caring and giving person, someone who was a vital part of their lives. Judi leaves behind her a legacy of life-long friendships and many cherished memories. Everyone whose life she touched will always remember Judith Eileen Forslund.

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Judith Eileen Forslund, 62, was called to be with her Father in Heaven on Thursday, January 14, 2016.

She was born Judith Eileen Negri on February 21, 1953, at the Divine Infant Hospital in Wakefield, Michigan. She was the third child of John D. Negri and Patricia J. (Hemkes) Negri.

She attended school in Wakefield and later graduated in June 1971 from the Luther L. Wright High School in Ironwood, Michigan.

Upon her graduation, she began her education in cosmetology at the Duluth (MN) Academy of Hair Design, graduating in 1972. She received her original license in Minnesota and subsequently held licenses in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee. She worked in numerous salons and owned/operated salons in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma. She and her family moved to shawnee in 1994. At the time of her death, she owned and operated the LaBella Salon in Shawnee.

On February 10, 1973, she was married at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Michigan, to Phillip C. (Phil) Forslund. This February, they would have celebrated their 43rd anniversary. She loved spending time with her family--especially her children; cooking (especially Italian); singing in the church choir; the company of her Bichon, Ricco; and serving her clients--her friends. Also, she cherished the memories from a 2013 trip to Northern Italy where she had the chance to meet all of her father's relatives who still reside there.

She is survived by her husband, Phil, Shawnee; daughter Alicia D. (Keith) Miller, Yukon, Oklahoma; son Benjamin R. Forslund; her mother, Patricia Jacobson, Minocqua, Wisconsin; brother John C. Negri, Flint, Michigan; sister Jayne A. Negri, Nashville, Tennessee; sister-in-law Dianne (Mark) Fiebrink, Naples, Florida; sister-in-law Judy (Mark) Bledsoe, Aberdeen, South Dakota; brother-in-law Jim Forslund, Tempe, Arizona; brother-in-law Chris Forslund Green Bay, Wisconsin; numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and many other relatives throughout the U.S. and in Italy; and many, many friends all over the U.S.

She was preceded in death by her paternal and maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Negri and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hemkes; her father, John D. Negri; step-father, Clyde "Jake" Jacobson; father-in-law, Clarence B. Forslund; sister-in-law, Carol (Kehoe) Negri; and numerous other relatives.

Funeral services are under the direction of Walker Funeral Home, Shawnee, Oklahoma, and McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, Ironwood, Michigan.

In Shawnee, visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday, January 22nd, at Walker Funeral Service, with the service at 10 a.m. Saturday, January 23rd, at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

Her body will then be taken to Michigan for another service to be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 27th, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, Michigan. Visitation will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church from 4-7 p.m. on Tuesday, January 26th.

Internment will be at Sunset Acres Cemetery in Ironwood, Michigan.