FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Judith (Judy) A. Zink Brown of Fort Collins, Colo. passed away on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
Judy was born April 27, 1943, in Hutchinson, to Anton J. and Evelyn (Vincent) Zink. She grew up on a farm near Claflin. Judy graduated from Claflin High School and soon married and moved to Colorado.
After starting a family, Judy returned to school at Arapahoe Community College to become a registered nurse in 1974. She worked as a hospital floor nurse at several Denver area hospitals including Porter Adventist Hospital. She received her bachelor of science in nursing from the University of Northern Colorado in 1990.
Nursing allowed her to work in many different places, including Sarasota, Fla., Mesa, Ariz., and other cities in Colorado. She enjoyed working in different areas of nursing, including travel nursing, case management, administration, and related home care nursing.
Throughout her life, Judy played a mean game of Pinochle, Perquackey, or Scrabble. She made a once-in-a-lifetime trip to England to sightsee and visit relatives. She enjoyed having her family around, having lunch with friends, crocheting, and visiting the senior center. She especially enjoyed her grandchildren and took great pride in their accomplishments. She never forgot a birthday and called every week to check on friends and family. Judy appreciated many forms of art, music, and writing. She remade herself many times in both careers and passions. At one point, she became very interested in the writings of Kahlil Gibran. Judy passed away on the same day as the birth of her sixth grandchild.
Judy is survived by her daughter, Penny (Ken) Diebel, Corvallis Ore.; sons, Matthew Brown, Fort Collins Colo.; and John (Mary) Brown, Greeley Colo.; six grandchildren, Rachel Diebel, New York; Nathan Diebel, Corvallis Ore., Dani, Peyton, Cooper, Shawn, all of Greeley, Colo.; and siblings, Janice (Gary) Struble, Wichita; Anita Meade, Hoisington; Don Zink, Claflin; Tom (Mary) Zink, Bayfield Colo.; Carole Gray, Salina; Jim (Betty) Zink, Olmitz; Mike (Yvonne) Zink, Great Bend; Chris (Marge) Zink, Hutchinson; Debbie Zink (Terry Long), St. John; Marie (Johnny) Mayers, Albert; and Bill (Tawnia) Zink, Ellinwood.
Judy was preceded in death by her parents; an infant brother, William; an infant sister, Claire; an infant daughter, Mary; and infant son, Robert.
A rosary service will held at 7 p.m. Monday, June 19, at St. Rose Church in Great Bend. There will be no visitation as cremation has already taken place. Neptune Society of Arvada, Colo. is in charge of arrangements.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 14, 2017**