Sara Judith Logan

Sara Judith Logan, 78, of Helena, died after a brief illness on the morning of April 4, 2015, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena.

Judy was born on Sept. 11, 1936 in Yonkers, New York, to William Harris and Mattie Lena Stahl. She was the younger of their two daughters and graduated from Roosevelt High School in Yonkers. She attended Cornell University in New York, graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in home economics.

During her senior year at Cornell, Judy participated in the Experiment in International Living (EIL) where she lived with a family in Switzerland for four weeks. At that same time, she met her future husband, Mike Logan, who was a community ambassador to Switzerland from Coffeyville, Kansas, in the EIL. They began a relationship there in Europe that lasted the rest of her life.

Mike and Judy were married on Nov. 24, 1960 in Baldwin, New York. They lived in Tucson, Arizone, for a time, where their first son, Mark, was born. They later lived in Kansas City, Missouri, where their second son, Sean, was born. In 1968, the family moved to Helena, where she worked as a dietitian at St. John’s Hospital.

When St. John’s closed in 1973, she moved to the newly-opened St. Peter’s Hospital and worked there for the next 22 years, retiring as a manager over several of the hospital’s departments. She absolutely loved her job at St. Peter’s and the many, many people with whom she worked during her career.

Judy, apart from her love of family and friends, appreciated most the beauty of life. At an early age, she acquired the love of music. She learned the piano and violin in her childhood and was a concert pianist and instructor during her time at Cornell University. Later in life, she learned to play the concert harp and performed with the Helena Symphony many times.

One of the highlights of her musical experience was meeting and spending time with John Denver when Mike was invited to be a guest on a televised Christmas show in 1991. Her love of music was also passed on to her children and grandchildren.

When a New York City girl eventually settled in Montana, she fell in love with the natural landscapes that were such a marked contrast to her native home. She learned the art of oil painting and was able to express her love of this natural beauty through brush and canvas. She traveled extensively throughout the United States and Wales to attend oil-painting workshops. This art she shared freely, not only in selling her works, but teaching many through adult education classes for a number of years.

Upon retirement in 1995, she and Mike went on many cruises throughout the Northwest and helped take care of her grandchildren, who she treasured dearly. She worshiped her family and her family worshiped her. Judy will always be remembered as a person who loved and gave of herself unquestioningly.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, William Harris and Mattie Lena Stahl.

Judy is survived by her husband, Mike of Helena; sons Mark Logan of Bozeman and Sean (Kerry) Logan of Helena; grandchildren Ethan Logan of Coffeyville, Meghan and Sarah Logan of Helena; sister Janice Mahoney of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania; niece Wendy Mahoney of Gladwyne, Pennsylvania; and nephew Daniel Mahoney of Brunswick, Maine.

A memorial service in celebration of Judy’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 10, at First Christian Church, 311 Power St., in Helena. A reception will immediately follow the service at the church. Memorials in Judy’s name are suggested to the Helena Symphony, 2 N. Last Chance Gulch, Suite #1, Helena, MT 59601.

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