With profound love and gratitude, we celebrate the life of Teacher Judy Witmer—a remarkable educator, mentor, and friend whose impact on generations of children, parents, and educators will be felt for years to come. Judy’s warmth, wisdom, and boundless enthusiasm for learning created communities of curiosity, kindness, and joy.
Judy’s passion for education shaped her extraordinary 53-year teaching career. For 48 years, she served as both a Parent Education Instructor and a classroom teacher of 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds at Mercer Island Learning Lab. There, she nurtured the learning of not only young children but also the educators and parents who supported them. She lovingly shared her wisdom and spirit, so much so that in some cases, her former students returned years later with children of their own, continuing the tradition of learning within the same walls. One dedicated group of parents even dubbed themselves “Judy’s Forever,” a testament to the lasting bonds she built.
Judy’s deep commitment to early childhood education was rooted in her own lifelong love of learning. As a young child, she lived “on the lawn” at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where her father was a professor. Her high school years were spent in Madison, Wisconsin, attending a laboratory school dedicated to the improvement of teaching methods on the University of Wisconsin campus.
For college, Judy attend the University of Colorado, earning a degree in Education. As a freshman, she met her future husband, Daniel Witmer, and after graduating, they embarked on a new adventure together, moving to Bellevue, Washington. Judy began her teaching career at Georgetown Elementary in Seattle. It was there that she first developed a passion for supporting the readiness of 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds for the classroom, along with a deep interest in at-home, parent-led learning to nurture children’s natural zest for discovery.
After five years of teaching, Judy and Dan moved to Mercer Island, where she took a seven-year hiatus to focus on raising their two sons, Rob and Dave. A next-door neighbor later recruited her into the Bellevue College Parent Education and Cooperative Preschool program. She earned her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and remained dedicated to teaching, guiding families, and creating lifelong learners.
Beyond the classroom, Judy and Dan were deeply engaged in their community. From 2008 to 2024, they coordinated and volunteered at the Children’s Table at the Mercer Island Farmers Market, offering weekly lessons and activities for children. Their enthusiasm and generosity created a space for families to explore, learn, and connect.
Judy’s love for nature, adventure, and travel took her family on hikes, beach camping trips, and sea kayaking excursions, particularly along the Pacific Ocean beaches of Washington and the inland waters of Northern Vancouver Island, where they shared countless magical moments watching orca whales. Summer vacations also allowed for trips to Europe, creating cherished memories with her sons.
Her enthusiasm for life extended to everything she did. She loved books and supported local bookstores, advocated for orcas and wildlife. She hosted Easter egg hunts, led holiday singalongs, and attended live music and theater performances with Dan. She saved acres of Amazon Rainforest through her Learning Lab Bake Sales, grew towering sunflowers in the Mercer Island Community Center Pea Patch, and enchanted students with her beloved “Lollipop Trees.”
In retirement, Judy found even more time to be with her grandchildren, blowing bubbles, building with blocks, and flying kites each February along the cold Pacific beaches of Washington.
In honor of her legacy, the xylophone in Dragon Park on Island Crest, is dedicated to Judy:
“It’s the things we play with and the people who help us play, that make a great difference in our lives.” Fred Roger’s - In Honor of Judy Witmer, A Teacher to Us All.
“Judy Witmer was the rare type of human who met people exactly where they were and gently supported and guided them forward in their education or parenting journey.” Julie Newcomer, Principal Northwood Elementary