Obituaries

Judith (“Judy”) Rowntree DesLauriers 

Born June 7, 1940 to Maxwell John Rowntree and Naomi Tully Rowntree in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma passed away and returned to God on February 3, 2026 at her home in St. Charles, Illinois, where she lived with her devoted husband, Dennis DesLauriers. 

She was a loving wife to Dennis, celebrating over 58 years of a blessed marriage and friendship, loving and caring mother of twin daughters Lynne DesLauriers and Andrea (Steve) Legatzke, wisdom bestowing grandmother to Hannah (Juan) Legatzke-Nakagawa and Ellen (Scott) Lenkart, comforting great-grandmother to Isabella Nakagawa Legatzke, and fun and witty aunt to nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, John and sisters Tully Jo and Mary Ann. 

Judy was devoted to her family, her Catholic faith, and the church. She was a loving and sometimes feisty soulmate to Dennis and an occasional hunting sidemate early in their relationship with him and his friends. 

Judy was a mom who always had an after-school snack for her children and their friends when they came home from school and would sit at the kitchen table with them as she inquired “tell me everything about your day.” She was a grandmother who bravely let her teen granddaughters practice driving with her on their learners’ permits in her convertible with the top down and Elvis on the radio while beguiling them with her days at Harding High in Oklahoma city and her secret social club The Happy Hearts. In her early adult years, she taught high school English in Denver and then in Massachusetts. 

Judy and Dennis have been faithful parishioners as St. John Neumann Catholic Church in St. Charles for over 40 years, from the beginning of the “St. Ramada” days. She loved studying the Bible and actively participating in book groups in which she always posed very challenging and thought-provoking questions. There was never a book she did not find something to underline, note about, or ponder the next question in the margin. She enjoyed traveling and exploring the world with Dennis and her family and meeting people from different cultures and faith traditions. She traveled most of the continents, enjoyed Asia, pilgrimaged to the Holy Lands and Rome, traveled down the Amazon, and did multiple African photo safaris. She lived by a “when in Rome…” approach and even boldly traveled on a medical mission to Ethiopia. When she returned, informed us that she dined on bugs and slept in a dung hut. She was fearless and resolute. When she travelled to new places she enthusiastically joined in the local customs and traditions. 

Judy “never met a stranger”—instead everyone she met became a friend who was quickly welcomed with a margarita or Bloody Mary and enveloped in fun conversation and sometimes philosophical ponderings. Family members and future family members (and boyfriends) were often tested with the Proust Questionnaire and questions about the creation. She was the consummate party host and leader in hospitality and despite the denials, the all-star in

charades. Yes, even when her health was failing and she could not serve others, she insisted that you get a drink and something to eat when you visited her. 

Judy loved greatly and fiercely and was loved greatly; she was joyfully blessed by God, and the joyful loving blessing she is to all her family, friends, and all those who met her and were touched by her smile, her light and kindness will always endure. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions to be made in her name to St. John Neumann Catholic 

2900 East Main St. 

St. Charles, IL 60174

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