Judith (Lent) Aubrecht

Date of Birth: May 7, 1951
Date of Death: January 14, 2021

Judith Helen (Lent) Aubrecht died at Saint John’s Hospital in Maplewood, Minnesota on January 14, 2021 after a long struggle with health issues related to cancer. Judy was born in Rochester, Minnesota to Dean Lent and Mary (Streit) Lent. Judy and her husband Tom were married in Rochester, Minnesota on February 17, 1973.

Judy graduated from Rochester Lourdes High School in 1969.  She attended the University of Minnesota and graduated in 1973 with a degree in psychology. During her school years, she enjoyed working as a lifeguard, Water Safety Instructor, and summer camp counselor. She earned her MSW in Social Work in 1979 from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Judy worked in social work throughout her life, including 27 years in elementary schools in the North Saint Paul/Maplewood/Oakdale School District.

Judy loved spending time with her family and friends and she organized many family and group activities and trips at various locations in the metro area, state, and country. Judy and Tom danced with the Saint Paul Czech and Slovak Folk Dancers for 15 years, through the start of the pandemic in the winter of 2020. They thoroughly enjoyed their time with the group and dancing at festivals throughout the state and region. They liked to hike, cross-country ski and bicycle.  Tom and Judy enjoyed going to concerts, plays, and other cultural events together.  They like to travel and visited 48 states and several foreign countries together. Judy liked to read the newspaper each day and was very well informed.  She also liked mysteries, literary and women’s fiction, and cookbooks. Judy and Tom lived in their house in their Saint Paul neighborhood for 40 years.

Judy was a long-time volunteer with Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota (through Tom’s ancestry.)  She served in many roles, including Board of Trustees Chair, Planning Committee member, and Rental Committee Chair, and President. Judy was co-director of the annual Sokol Minnesota Children’s Cultural Day Camp for 23 years. She recently joined Saint Paul’s Lumen Christi Catholic Community parish council.

Judy was an excellent mother.  She worked with Tom to instill the values of empathy, kindness, respect, responsibility, tenacity, knowledge, hard work, and courage. Every family or holiday dinner was a chance to combine teaching cooking or baking techniques with spending time together as a family. Annual applesauce and pickle-making days with Dean and Mary, her daughters, and nieces or nephews were a particular highlight.  She was very supportive and devoted to helping her daughters pursue their interests and activities.  She was generous and ready to share a care package or a special gift that she had found (on sale.)

A visitation will take place at Kessler McGuire Funeral Home in Saint Paul on Wednesday, January 20, 2021, from 4 to 7 p.m.   Judy’s funeral will be held at Lumen Christi Catholic Church in Saint Paul on Thursday, January 21, at 10 a.m. The funeral service will be streamed live at https://lumenchristicc.org/; the video will also be archived at the same site. There will not be a luncheon at the church. Burial will follow the service at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Rochester, Minnesota. Wearing masks and maintaining social distancing between household groups is required at the visitation, church and cemetery.

Judy is survived by her mother Mary (Streit) Lent, husband Tom Aubrecht, daughters Kate Aubrecht and Jen (Aubrecht) Massey (David), brothers Steve (Julie) Lent, Dick Lent, and Tim Lent and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.  During this time of community need, memorials are preferred to your local food shelf or other charity of your choice.