Judy Claire (Heater) Ciukowski, 69, of Buckhannon, WV, departed this life on June 7, 2025, surrounded by her family after a tough second battle with cancer.
She was born in Buckhannon on August 24, 1955, to the late William and Katherine Isabelle (Walton) Heater.
On April 15, 1978, she married the late Edmund “Eddie” Francis Ciukowski. Judy and Eddie loved to vacation to the casinos to try their luck at gambling. They spent a wonderful 28 years together until Eddie lost his battle with cancer on June 24, 2006.
In true Golden Girls fashion, Judy and her sister Sylvia Burdette later moved in with one another for companionship and continued the vacation traditions as well as going to the local senior center for game nights over the next eleven years.
Judy is survived by her sister Sylvia; her beloved Yorkie Gabby; sister-in-law: Karen Heater of Buckhannon; nieces: Michelle (Keith) Myers of Manheim PA, Jennifer Brecke, Rhonda (Junior) Knight, Kathy Bachman, and Deanna (Frank) Moore all of Buckhannon; nephews: Ernie (Angie) Dever of Suffolk, VA and Scott Stalnaker of Buckhannon; great-nieces Scarlett Myers of Hershey PA, Alyssa (Kyle) Gilbertson, and Savannah Dever of Suffolk, VA, Kayce (Ben) Wooten, Megan (Timmy) Houston, Carly Stalnaker, Tiffany and Brandy Bachman, Heather (C.J.) Wykoff, and Ashley Haddix all of Buckhannon; great-nephews: Keith “Bubba” Myers of Manheim PA, Gilbert (Kelsey) Dever of Germany, Luke (Angelica) Brecke, Andrew Stalnaker and Bradley Knight all of Buckhannon; great-great-nieces: Emma and Allie Wooten, Macie and Peyton Brecke all of Buckhannon, Lillian and Rhoslyn Dever of Germany, Maeven Myers of Hershey PA, and Alora Gilbertson of Suffolk VA; and great-great-nephews: Rylee Gilbertson of Suffolk VA and River Knight of Buckhannon. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by one sister (Delores Heater Dever), one brother (Andy Heater), three brothers-in-law (Ernie Dever, Roger Stalnaker, and William “Bill” Burdette), and two great-nieces (Megan Jardell and Sarah Beth Brecke).
Judy loved spending as much time with her family as she could and was the embodiment of a cool, fun aunt. She brought brightness to everyone she knew through her happiness and warm hugs, as well as to those she didn’t know by bringing holiday cheer when they passed her well decorated home. Along with her home, Judy always ensured that Miss Gabby was dressed for every occasion from St. Patrick’s Day to the Strawberry Festival.
Judy’s family would like to extend a big thank you to all of the doctors and nurses at the United Hospital Cancer Center that helped provide her care for the past year, as well as to the Hospice team that have cared for and supported her through her final hours, a special thank you to her hospice nurses Adam S. and Tracy O.
Judy will be deeply missed by everyone who knew her.
Per her wishes, Judy’s body will be donated to WVU medicine in hopes that she can help provide advancements in science and medicine that will benefit people for years to come.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.polingstclair.com. Poling-St. Clair Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
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