Judy A Harger - Obituary

TC Judy Ann Harger, USA, Ret., a mom, a nurse and a soldier, passed away December 21, 2017. She was 75 years young. A longtime resident of North Beach and a 22-year veteran of the US Army Nurse Corp, our mom, saw a gift in every day. She appreciated her friends and family deeply and challenged life with all it had to offer. She worked hard, loved hard, played hard and cherished her children. A master diver and sailor, Judy traveled the world to see its wonders, both above and below the deep blue sea. Born August 8, 1942, in Sebring, FL, Judy moved to California as a young girl, when her mother came to Hollywood to star in movies. Judy was an ICU nurse for over 40 years. She graduated from San Jose State University in 1974 with a Bachelors of Science in Nursing and Public Health. She earned a Master’s Degree in Quality Systems Management from the National Graduate School in Massachusetts in 2000. Nursing was Judy’s calling, and she dedicated her life to helping others including establishing an award-winning medical database and hospital protocols that would facilitate quality healthcare for US Armed Forces around the world. Judy was a California girl until duty called in 1980 when she joined the National Guard. A year later she received a direct commission into the Army which would see her move to Texas in 1982. In her early career, Judy readied M.A.S.H or combat support hospitals for action. Her expertise and acumen earned her recognition on and off the field as an outstanding and dedicated officer and nurse. In 1998, she was assigned to work under the Surgeon General at the prestigious Walter Reed National Medical Center in Washington, D.C. as Chief of Quality Management at the Clinical Operations Headquarters for the North Atlantic Regional Medical Command. She also was the United States Army Reserve Staff Nurse at the hospital. Her haven was North Beach, MD on the Chesapeake Bay where she resided for 19 years. She was the president of the Holland Point Citizens Association for two terms and loved her community and wonderful friends there. Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Former California Lt. Governor Ed Reinecke and Jean Reinecke. Judy is survived by her four children, Suzanne Murch of New York, NY, Douglas (Ashley) Gladstone of San Antonio, TX, Stephen Gladstone of Breckenridge, CO, and Christopher (Betty) Harger of Moorpark, CA; her three siblings, Mark Reinecke of Chicago, IL, Mimi Weyrick of Agoura Hills, CA, and Thomas Reinecke of San Juan Capistrano, CA, and seven grandchildren, Paige, Molly, Sophia, Presley and Colton Gladstone, and Mickenna and Alyssa Harger, and her beloved Golden Retriever, Sunshine on the Bay. Friends are invited to celebrate Judy's life at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, MD on Wednesday, January 17 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 pm. A Celebration Mass will be offered at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 8816 Chesapeake Ave., North Beach, MD at 10 am on Thursday, January 18. A reception will immediately follow. Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. An online guestbook is available by visiting the link on this page. Flowers are welcome. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Wills Eye Hospital (https://www.willseye.org/giving/give-now/)