December 9, 1938 – November 4, 2024

Judith Lehel, a cherished member of the Steamboat Springs community for almost 35 years, passed away in Charlottesville, Virginia, on November 4, at the age of 85. Judith—known to family as “Jutka” and to her daughters as “Mashika”—was adored and admired. She was independent, chatty, hilarious, extremely kind and giving but also tough, elegant, spirited, and honest to a fault.

Born in Hungary, Judith spent her childhood amid the turmoil of World War II. Her father was taken to a Siberian labor camp, and when she was 12, her family was forced from their home. After her mother’s death, at just 17, Judith escaped on foot and walked for days in the freezing cold. She made it to Austria after suffering injuries, and eventually found refuge in France, where she obtained her education and met her Romanian-Israeli husband. Together, they raised three children in Israel and, in 1983, moved to the Ivory Coast and then back to France before arriving in the United States in 1988.

Judith moved to Steamboat Springs in 1989 to be near her sister, from whom she had been separated during their 1956 escape from Hungary. She worked at Steamboat Medical Group (SMG) for 22 years, first as a receptionist and—by the time of her retirement—as the clinic’s administrative director. She loved her time at SMG and her colleagues, many of whom remained dear lifelong friends. Judith never stopped helping others. She served as an interpreter for French speaking African immigrants, for whom she was a fierce advocate, and who lovingly called her “Mama Africa” (which delighted her!).

In late 2023, Judith and her treasured rescued dog, Ziggy, moved to Virginia to be closer to her daughters, and in the last year, she charmed Virginians as consistently as she had Coloradoans. Judith loved watching Jeopardy, doing crossword puzzles, and enjoying a cup of hot saké.

The Steamboat Pilot covered Judith’s incredible life story in 2001 and in 2020.

Judith loved with all her heart, and the world loved her back. She will be deeply missed. Donations in her memory may be made to PETA’s Community Animal Project.