Judy Siebecker Cantu

Received June 15, 2010

WISCONSIN HIGH 50th REUNION

Husband – Jack Cantu retired General Manager of Hobie Sports (surfboards, Hobie cats). Skis every day in winter and golfs every day in summer.

Daughter – Tamara  husband David of McCall, Idaho. Grandchildren: Saskia 12 years old, Sebastian 9 years and A.J. 9 years
Daughter – Renee  husband Rob of  Boise, Idaho. Grandchildren:  Mattea 15 years old, Heidi 9 years and Felicia 6 years.
Son – Cody Cantu  wife Erin of Dana Point, California. Granddaughter Kaylie 5 years old.

Parents – deceased
Sister – Susan lives in Madison, breeds Rex cats and is a Medical Secretary at University Hospital
Brother – Bud and wife Pam live on their Spring Green, Wisconsin farm, Vice Pres. of a Paving Company, she is an RN at University Hospital.

Sister – Bitsy and husband Gayle Rouff, live in Dousman, Wisconsin, she is retired from State of Wisconsin(Mark Hoover was once her boss)

Sister – Robin and husband Randy Kaja live now in Anderson, South Carolina; he is still with Upjohn Pharmaceutical
Brother – Bill and wife Laurie moved to Port Wing, Wisconsin near Bayfield on Lake Superior; he continues with Left Bank Wine and Spirits serving that area. They live in a great house that is “off the grid” with a windmill as their electrical source.

 Pet – Brittany a 4 year old Labradoddle who has only 3 legs and runs faster than every other dog!  We adopted her this winter from the local animal shelter. She is a fabulous addition to our life.

We still are happily residing in this mountain ski resort town. All the rooms in our house look out at the ski mountain (Brundage Ski Resort) and we are on a golf course as well.

A new passion brought me back into nursing after my initial retirement.  I am a Hospice RN and the administrator of the St. Luke’s McCall Hospice and Home Care agency in McCall, Idaho. I do take a day off for golf as well as play in a Couples Golf League with my husband Jack on the weekends.

Recently went back to our former home, Dana Point, California as the featured speaker at the City of Dana Point’s 20th Anniversary celebration where I was the first Mayor of that city.

Travel whenever possible. I am still enjoying the challenge of Genealogy. I love to cook and entertain family and friends.

June 2015

Wisconsin High School

55^th Reunion – July 24 – 25, 2015

 Returned to my maiden name after I choose to get divorced three years ago…both my marriages lasted 22 years.  No regrets about either marriage or either divorce; remain friends with both exes’.

Retired 3 years ago…had a wonderful, varied 50 year career as a Registered Nurse.  Thank you University of Wisconsin Madison Nursing School for the great education.  Worked as a nurse in Wisconsin, California, Guam, Marianas Islands, Connecticut, Philadelphia and Idaho.  Most recently started a Hospice agency in McCall, Idaho…served as the Administrator for 11 years before retirement.

Sold our big home and moved over the mountain to McCall, Idaho.  Bought a condo in McCall so I can resume my passion for travel.  Spent three months in the Austrian Alps last winter with my best friend, Karl, who has a home in McCall and a home in his hometown in the Alps.  I love Austria – the food is fresh and wholesome, the people fun loving, the scenery spectacular.  Plan to spend half the year in McCall and half the year in Austria.

Both my daughters are doing well in their careers and enjoying their husbands and children. Tamara and family live here in McCall. Renee and family are just 2 hour drive south in Boise.  I feel so blessed to be able to be an active part in the lives of my 6 grandchildren.  You will get to meet my eldest grandchild, Saskia Bock, who is 17, at the reunion as she is starting “the college hunt” and will tour St. Olaf College and UW Madison during our trip.

All five of my siblings are well.  I will get to spend time with all the Siebeckers while home for the reunion.

I am still passionate about golf, figure skating, gardening and cooking.  This past weekend, I went kayaking for the first time and loved it.  I volunteer twice a week….once for the local Hospital and once where I am an apprentice for the most renowned herbalist in Idaho who lives here in McCall.  I wish I had known about nontraditional/herbal medicines when I was practicing nursing!  I am amazed at how healthy I have become since adopting the Paleo choices and herbal supplements.

I happily attend a Congregational Church here in McCall.  Am a member of a number of community organizations.  Have kept my promise to myself to not get into local politics….those 8 years on City Council and Mayor of Dana Point, California were a joyful time for me…however there is a season for all things and now I select travel, fun, family and love of life for this season of my life.

Well…you can see I am as verbose as ever.  Looking forward to our time together in July.

Wisconsin High School

60^th  Reunion – September 17, 2020

BIO:      Judy Siebecker

Received:  8/9/20

 I am passionate about my family. All 5 of my siblings are living. I am the only one not living in the Midwest. Susan – WHS class of 1958 – lives in Madison next door to her daughter Judy Barnard. Susan is a well known and respected breeder of Cornish Rex cats…..also known as hairless cats. She had buyers all over the world. Last time I stayed with her she had 22 cats in her condo.  Bud and wife live on their farm just down the road from Taliesin . Bud still is an administrator for a paving company. Bud started at WHS and played football there then had to transfer to West due to closure of our school. Their 2 children and 5 grandchildren live nearby in Sun Prairie. Bitsy lived in Dousman in summer and Florida in winter. The pandemic has forced her to give up her many volunteer and social gigs.  Robin and husband live on a Lake in Michigan with their 2 children and 4 grandchildren nearby. In winter she skates across the lake to visit her grandchildren. Robin went to West High as our school was closed by then.  Bill, who was born when I was in 7th Grade, works for Left Bank Distributors serving the Northern Wis. and Duluth areas. Even during the Pandemic, wine and liquor are selling strong. He lives in Port Wing and is well known as an actor there – mostly Shakespeare. Our Siebecker get togethers are large and raucous.

After nearly 30 years living in the mountains of Idaho, I downsized to a condo. Then when my eldest daughter, Tami, and family decided to move they convinced me to live with them. In Dec. we moved to the Seattle area. We live out in the country, surrounded by forest. One mile away is the Carnation Dairy farm where condensed milk first came to the US. Now it is an event center and fabulous organic market and butcher. There are still active dairy farms in the nearby valley. The area reminds me of rural Wis. back in the 50’s.

Tami is a Administrator at Overlake Medical Center, which was one of the 3 hospitals first hospitals in our country to handle COVID patients. Believe me, I wear a mask. The stress our health care providers are under is frightening. There will be lots of PTSD victims when this battle is over.

I find joy witnessing my 5 Grandchildren become adults. I feel sad that the 3 who were living on campuses in their Freshman year ended up back home for on line classes. The two 19 year old grandsons live here where I am.

My other daughter Renee remains in Boise, Idaho. She opened her own business that provides mentoring for Juveniles coming out of prison. She also is a Counsellor for a nonprofit that assists young people who have been forced into Sex Trafficking.  She has helped change many lives and I am proud of the work she does.

Good luck came my way finding a Congregational Church nearby. I am serving as the Church Nurse. This is a very politically active Church doing many caring things locally. Free hot meals open to the public weekly, a free food pantry for those in need and tutoring local students.

Family History gives me much joy.  Found a Siebecker cousin I knew existed but we had never met. We are enjoying making up for lost time.  I have always been an avid reader which I find solace in.  Gardening is another passion. Learning what grows here is a new challenge. Sharing my garden with wild rabbits and the HUGE slugs that live here is interesting. I refuse to use any toxic remedies. The rabbits have learned to trust me to put out carrots for them….and they stopped munching on my plants. The slugs diminished greatly when we surrounded the garden plants with copper wire.

I have always been an avid traveler and miss it. We did take a week trip to an ocean town and got our fill of clams, crab and flying kites.

I am on Facebook so any of you who wish can “friend me” to stay in touch.  Some things never change…..you can see I love to communicate…whether by chatting or writing.

Be well and stay in touch, Judy.