Judy entered the world on March 25, 1940 in Minneota, MN to Bob and Margaret Myers. She married Jim Kinsey in 1965, starting a family and settling in Southeastern Minnesota. Her career as a Software Development Manager at IBM lasted until her retirement in 2000. She passed away on September 4, 2024 after a cancer diagnosis in the spring of 2023.

Judy Myers Kinsey

Judy never ceased to amaze people with her tenacity and determination. She was brilliant, having graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1958 as valedictorian and receiving a full scholarship to Wellesley College. She was a fierce champion of innovation and women’s rights. In her lengthy career at IBM, she was often the only woman in the room. She pushed boundaries, took chances, and led the way helping others to succeed. Judy guided numerous Girl Scout troops from her daughter’s to her granddaughters’, and many in between. She was president of Cannon Valley Girl Scout Council and promoted technology and independence to the lives of countless young women. Music was a staple in her life, singing, playing cello and piano, and attending concerts all over the world. She had a mad passion for classical music and was listening to Beethoven when she took her last breath. In her later years, she used her creativity to design embroidered and printed projects for family, friends, and many others. She was instrumental in organizing reunions for her high school class and, until her death, was president of her 1962 Wellesley College class. Judy was always organized and went above and beyond in projects that she was involved in. She loved to travel and spent her last years living happily in downtown Minneapolis. However, her biggest joys in life were her family and friends. She was extremely close to her sisters, talking nearly every day for 80 years. She was proud of and actively involved in her children’s lives and loved being a mom. When she retired from IBM, she took a daily role in her granddaughters’ lives from birth to adulthood, creating memories and very special bonds. One of her greatest challenges and accomplishments was facing the cancer that ultimately took her life. Throughout the whole journey, she was positive, upbeat, and she constantly created new goals to strive toward, much like she had her whole life. Instead of meeting barriers with sadness or despair, she faced them head on by living life to the fullest, taking trips, coloring her hair purple and eventually acquiring funky hats to cover the toll the cancer took on her body. Judy was a strong, independent woman, and lived like that until the end.

She is survived by her daughter Julie (Rob) Buresh, son James (Tami) Kinsey, granddaughters Annie and Alex Buresh, sisters Janet Nafe and Susan (Bob) Gerber.

She is preceded in death by her husband Jim, parents Bob and Margaret Myers, brother Rick, sister-in-law Jean Helen and brother-in-law Bill. Her dedication to education and medical advancement continues on as both she and Jim donated their bodies to the Mayo Clinic Anatomy Bequest Program.

A well deserved Celebration of Life will be held at the Unity Unitarian Church, 733 Portland Avenue, St. Paul, MN on November 9th at 3:00PM. It will also be live-streamed and accessible from their website.

Please wear bright, colorful clothing in honor of Judy and join us with smiles, stories, and music as we celebrate the legacy Judy Kinsey left and the lives that she impacted.

Memorials can be made in Judy’s name to Planned Parenthood, The Minnesota Orchestra, or Children’s Home Society of Minnesota.

Judy had hoped that she would be able to contribute to this year’s election but unfortunately fell short of that goal. To honor her memory…be a good citizen by voting, enjoy some wine, live life with a little flair, and always use the good china!