Judy House created the vision for the Healing Quilts in Medicine project. She
was battling breast and ovarian cancer at the time she started this
ambitious project. We lost this very special woman on July 28, 2005. The
following is her obituary as it appeared in the Washington Post on August 14,
2005.
HOUSE, JUDITH A., Quilt
Artist (Age 65)
 On July 28, 2005 JUDITH A. HOUSE, a well-known quilt artist, died in her home
under hospice care after a nine-year battle with breast and ovarian cancer.
Judith began quilting in 1986 and eventually taught and lectured on art
quilting. Her work was recognized at local and nationwide quilt shows. When
she died, she was leading a group of contemporary quilters who are creating
quilts for donation to a local area hospital. Her husband, three children and
seven grandchildren survive her. The family plans to celebrate her life at a
reception at the Army Navy Country Club on September 16 from 12 Noon to 2 p.m.
Light refreshments will be served. Dress is business casual. In lieu of
flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society or Capital
Hospice, PO Box 1576, Merrifield, VA 22116-1576. Her ashes will be interred in
October at Saint Dunstan's Episcopal Church located in Carmel Valley, CA.
Here are Judy's inspiring
words:
A dear friend of mine who lost her battle
with Ovarian Cancer said, "Cancer equals WAITING". You are either waiting
for doctors appointments, tests, results of those tests, treatments, and
results of treatments. This is stressful time for the patient, their family
members and friends. I would therefore like to provide them with
something pleasant to look at and reflect on during those often-difficult
moments. |
In 2005, before Judy died, she
organized a group of 37 art quilters to make art quilts based on the plants
and animals used in chemotherapies. These quilts now hang in the oncology
areas of Walter Reed Army Medical Center. You can view images of these
quilts by going to the Walter Reed Quilt Gallery.
Since the Walter Reed project,
a group of quilters from the Washington D.C. metro area have continued
Judy's legacy and are involved in several healing quilt projects. We call
ourselves Fiber Artists @
Loose Ends. We have been working with the Gifts of Art at the University
of Michigan and the Society for the Arts in Healthcare to bring healing
quilts to new venues. Our latest projects include cancer quilts for Auburn University, the National Institutes of Health and Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.
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