Back - Terry and Judy Truesdell
Front - Daughter Meg and son-in-law Steve (Johnson), Granddaughters Laura (5) and Kate (1)
About Judy Truesdell
Judy Fitzpatrick Truesdell is no stranger to running for election. Twice, once in 2000 and again in 2004, she ran for Trustee of Lake Michigan College, winning in both elections with an overwhelming 40,000 votes. Today, she is running to be the first ever Democratic woman elected to the state legislature from the 78th District in Berrien County.
A native daughter of Michigan, Judy was born and raised in Pontiac - the youngest of four children - to second generation Irish American parents. Her father was an independent pharmacist who owned and operated several drug stores. Her mother was a stay at home mom, raising four children, and later became CFO of the pharmacies. Both instilled in Judy and her siblings strong family values and a heritage that sought an equal place in society for all people including a grandmother who walked for women's right to vote and a coal mining grandfather who fought for the right to organize and earn a decent wage. Judy was educated in parochial schools and it was here in her junior year that she participated in the American Legion sponsored Wolverine Girls' State, marking her early introduction to public service.
A graduate of Eastern Michigan University and degreed in Sociology and Business Education, Judy has carried into adulthood her family values and loyalty to Michigan. She is married to Terry Truesdell, a graduate of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and a native of Niles, the city they have called home for 37 years of their 39-year marriage. Early in their marriage, Terry was called for service in the U.S. Army. Judy followed him to New Jersey where he was stationed, finding work as a legal and legislative secretary for a state assemblyman. After Terry completed his service, they returned to settle in Niles where Judy worked in the law offices of White, Klute, Stone & Campbell and then with Grathwohl & Grathwohl, the firm of now retired Berrien County Criminal Court Judge Casper Grathwohl.
Early on, Judy and Terry had a dream of starting their own business that would allow them to work together, much as her parents had done. With hard work, determination and the linking of their skills and innovative ideas, they founded their own company. What emerged over the years were successful and creative businesses - Ironwood Displays, Inc.; Tree Play, Inc., and IDI Design Group, Inc, the company they currently own and operate. Following in their footsteps is their only child, Meg, a talented artist and entrepreneur who, with Judy, operates a small on-line company called Cupcaketree.com along with her own jewelry store in downtown Niles. Meg and her husband Steve Johnson have two daughters, five-year old Laura and one-year old Kate, making Judy and Terry proud and devoted grandparents.
In addition to her service as a Lake Michigan College Trustee and Secretary of the Board of Trustees, Judy also serves on the boards of Lake Michigan College Foundation and Michigan Gateway Community Foundation and is a founding member of an arm of this foundation called the Niles Fund. Over the years, Judy served on numerous other boards including the Niles Service League, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Crime Stoppers of Michiana.
Today, Judy and Terry live in the same downtown Niles home since coming back years ago. Like in business, they have put their creativity to work restoring this 1872 house. Here they raised their daughter and conceived the ideas for their business. It is here they hope Judy will make history becoming the first ever female state representative of Michigan's 78th District.
