Judith Perkins Thiele

Minot

Judith Raye Perkins Thiele, 86, passed Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, in Minot, ND.

Judy was born on Nov. 8, 1938, in Corona, New Mexico, to Raymond and Ruby (Greenwood) Perkins.

On June 5, 1955, she married the love of her life, Ronald L. Thiele. Within five short years, Judy had four children, had been stationed with her husband in Japan, and settled in Roswell, New Mexico with her family, including a menagerie of pets. She also lost a beloved daughter to Leukemia.

By 1970, Judy had received a degree in accounting, moved to Minot, ND where she and her husband raised their family, and worked for the Air Force.

In the years that followed, Judy’s career began in earnest, and Ron’s military career often kept him away from the family while on duty.

Always sure to focus her love, energy, and gift of adventures with her family, Judy took the kids camping every weekend. She taught them about the wonders of nature, how laughter, love, and adventure go hand-in-hand, and that family worked together, played together, and was bound together by love.

By 1990, Judy’s career took her to Los Angeles where she and her husband were able to travel the world whenever she had temporary duty assignments (TDY’s). This time was also filled with frequent trips to Minot to be with their grandchildren. After Judy retired, they moved back to Minot to live closer to family.

Family was everything to Judy. She filled it with love, laughter, diapers, pets, camping, picnics, games, spontaneity, and many, many adventures! She also filled it with her time, energy, and wisdom.

Judy loved spontaneity and outdoor adventures. She had an amazingly free spirit (belied by her reserved manner), a wicked sense of humor, and she knew exactly who she was, refusing to ever compromise herself. Judy was dearly loved by family and friends, and greatly respected by nearly everyone who met her. She is deeply, deeply missed.

Judy was survived by her loving family, including children: Ronald L. Thiele II of Chugiak, Alaska, Michele (J.D.) Ritter of Havelock, North Carolina, and Gina Renee (Michael Johnson) Brekke of Bismarck; grandchildren: Denise (Ian Whitehead) Buchanan, Ronald L. Thiele III, Raymond Thiele, Cassandra Brekke, Christopher (Katie) Brekke, and Brandon (Vidya) Shade; and great-grandchildren: Caitlyn Bertsch, Natalie (Tanner) Nett, Odin Brekke, Ronald L. Thiele IV, Jaxon Buchanan, Katniss Thiele, Magnus Brekke, and Bjorn Brekke.

Judy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Ronald, daughter Kim Marie, sister Jane, and parents Raymond and Ruby.

Celebration of Life for Judy Thiele: 3 p.m., Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at Rosehill Cemetery in Minot, ND.

Published by The Minot Daily News, May 3, 2025.