Judith Kay (Staley) VonKaenel, 83, of Savannah, Missouri, passed away on November 3, 2026, at Mosaic Life Care, surrounded by her loving family.

Judy was born on May 15, 1943, in Providence, Rhode Island to Walter and Edith (Knapp) Staley, both of whom preceded her in death.

Judy graduated from Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Then she came to Missouri to teach swimming lessons at the YWCA during the summer and fell in love with the love of her life, Lynn VonKaenel. On April 2, 1966, she married Lynn VonKaenel; they celebrated 51 years of marriage before his passing in 2018.

After the birth of their son, who was deaf, Judy taught herself sign language. Determined to communicate with him and support his education, she would travel to libraries in Kansas City to find books on sign language and sought additional instruction at The School for the Deaf in Fulton, Missouri.

Judy taught preschool at the Raggedy Ann and Andy School and the Little Red School House. She also worked for the St. Joseph and Savannah School Districts as a sign language interpreter for several years. She was the manager of the Savannah City Pool for several years. After she retired, she was a lunch lady at the Savannah High School.

Judy was also preceded in death by her son, Randy VonKaenel.

Judy is survived by; daughter, Brandy (Brian) Wilson; son in her heart, Chance Osborn; granddaughters, Baylee Brown, Hayley Axe; Ashley Fox; grandsons, Trevor VonKaenel; Kaden Wilson; great-grandchildren, Emily Fox, Russell Osborn, Rosie Wilson, Knox Berry, Opal Brown, Huey Axe, Preslee Axe, RaeLynn Fox; sisters, Kandi Staley, Cindi Peterson; brother, Pat Staley; sister-in-law, Debbie (Larry) Wilmes; and numerous nieces and nephews and her bestest girlfriends, The Pinks.

Mrs. VonKaenel has been cremated under the direction of Heaton-Bowman-Smith Savannah Chapel. A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, November 14, 2026 at the Heaton-Bowman-Smith Savannah Chapel, where the family will receive friends one hour prior to the service, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Memorial donations may be given to Mosaic Life Care Auxiliary Breast Care Patient Assistance Fund with checks written to MLC Auxiliary and/or to the School for the Deaf, 505 East Fifth Street, Fulton, MO, 65251.