Judith "Judie" Ann Doan

Dear everyone who knew and loved Judie Doan Our cherished Judie died on Wednesday, June 3, following an incapacitating stroke. She was surrounded by her family and friends to the end, never alone, as she would have done for any of us. She was 83, born on November 24, 1942, and had planned to live into her 90s. She enjoyed scrapbooking, reading, gardening, her little dog Dixie and decorating her home and yard for the seasons. Her yard was filled with bird feeders and she eagerly awaited the return of the hummingbirds and orioles every year. Family and friends were a important part of her life but nothing could ever brighten her day more than a Facetime call from her granddaughter Rosabelle in New York. Judie retired in 2019 from Work Services Inc., the non-profit she founded in 1999. She spent her career helping people that society pushed to the margins because of their disabilities and she fought for everyone to be treated equally and have the same opportunities. When she was made CEO of Goodwill Industries of Central Michigan she became Michigan's 1st woman to hold that title. Judie began her early work as a teacher for severely handicapped people in Lenawee County. Judie was a workaholic, being a wife, mother, teacher and student all at the same time. She completed her Master of Social Work at Siena Heights College in 1982 while working at Vo-Tech in Adrian as the Special Needs Co-ordinator. She was proud to work in education and considered returning to the school system even after retirement. Her work was meaningful and she loved it, making an impact wherever she went. Through it all Judie was with Robert Doan, the man she started dating in 8th grade. They married in 1962 and stayed together for the next 64 years. They raised 2 children and a menagerie of pets in a house they built, loving each other through it all. Judie and Bob showed how people can endure all of life’s ups and downs together and the value of sharing a lifetime of memories. They loved canoe trips with friends, trips to see new places, and spending time with their granddaughter. Judie was born in Detroit and moved to Adrian in 1950, but her family’s roots were in Owensboro, Kentucky. She spent much of her young life among her southern relatives. She helped her father, Robert Nave, a Navy veteran who fought in World War II, chronicle his wartime experiences for Freedom Park in Omaha, Neb. Judie helped care for her mom, Ruth Nave, for 4 years after her father died. Judie and Bob joined the Jaycees in the 1970s ostensibly for community service but also for the parties and socializing. They made lifelong friends. The group supported each other with love and friendship through all the struggles of adulthood, raising families, finding their paths, enjoying grandkids, illness and loss. During her time in the Jaycettes, she developed and shared her leadership skills holding many offices and chairing committees on the local, district and state levels. It’s a unique perspective to look back on a lifetime of shared experiences in a community and Judie chronicled her life and those of her friends with photos and words in handmade scrapbooks. She was the thread that connected many loved ones and lived to reflect for us what she saw with her kind and loving heart. There's the family we are born with and the family we make along the way. Judie's second family began when she hired Kim Fillmore (Joel, Stockbridge) to be her executive assistant at Goodwill in the 90s. They formed a bond that lasted the rest of her life. They both share a passion for scrapbooking and attended crops together as often as possible. Judie loved that Kim’s children, Ethan, Karlee and RJ, thought of her as a grandma. Judie is survived by her siblings Charlotte Shoup (Richard, St. Johns, MI) and Gary Nave (Cleveland), her son, Steven Doan (Adrian), her daughter Pamela Doan, son-in-law Michael Casale and granddaughter Rosabelle Doan-Casale (Cold Spring, NY), nephews Richard Shoup (Nashville), Jeffrey Shoup (Lansing), and nieces Beth Cossins (Josh, Cleveland), Jessica Nave (Cleveland), and Megan Hammer (Tracy, Luther, OK) and their families. A memorial service to gather and celebrate Judie’s life will be held on Saturday, June 13 from 2 to 4 pm. at Wagley Funeral Home in Adrian. At 3:30 we would invite anyone whose life she touched to share their stories of her. In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations in her name be made to the Lenawee Humane Society or The Catherine Cobb Safe House in Adrian. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.WagleyFuneralHomes.com.

Judith "Judie" Ann Doan

November 24, 1942 - June 3, 2026