Judith (Judy) Ann Wyatt Dunker

Judith (Judy) Ann Wyatt Dunker, 86, was born May 13, 1939, in Sterling, Illinois, the only child of Harry and Evelyn Wyatt.

She grew up in Sterling and later attended Drake University in Des Moines, where she earned a teaching degree and met her husband, Dr. Richard Bruce Dunker. They were married June 25, 1961, and built a life centered on family, friendship, and shared experiences.

Judy was the mother of four children: Lisa (Gregg) Shivers, Tyler (Jessica) Dunker, Jill Boswell (Robert Irvine), and Stephen (Ava) Dunker. She was also a grandmother to 13 and a great-grandmother to two.

As a military wife, Judy developed a deep love of travel. During her husband’s service in Europe, she embraced every opportunity to explore the continent with their growing family. Their travels eventually extended far beyond, including trips to Africa, Asia, and Australia. They were among the early American travelers to visit China and Russia as those countries began opening to the West. Judy often spoke with gratitude for the life she and Bruce shared and the experiences they made possible together. That love of travel became something they passed on to their children.

Judy was first and foremost a devoted wife and mother, raising her family while adapting to the demanding and unpredictable schedule of her husband’s work as an obstetrician. Though she began her career as a teacher, she always felt called to nursing. After her children were in school, she returned as a nontraditional student to North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, earning her nursing degree in 1985.

Her work reflected her compassion. She cared deeply for those facing mental health challenges, serving for years at the North Iowa Transition Center, and later as a hospice nurse, where she supported patients and families at the end of life.

If there is one way to define Judy, it is as a loyal and constant friend. Friendships mattered deeply to her. She maintained lifelong relationships, including her childhood friend RitaAnn, who lived next door and had been part of her life since the age of three. Judy stayed connected with high school friends, her Delta Gamma sorority sisters from Drake, friends from their military years in the 1960s, and many from the Mason City medical community. She valued connection in a simple and meaningful way—through phone calls, handwritten notes, letters, and time spent together.

Judy was an active member of P.E.O. and First Presbyterian Church in Mason City. In her later years, she moved to Waukee, Iowa to be closer to family.

She passed peacefully on Palm Sunday, with her family at her side, holding her hands and saying a prayer.

She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband, and will be welcomed by them, along with many dear friends.

In keeping with Judy’s wishes, no funeral service will be held and memorials are not requested. The family will gather in Des Moines in July for the interment of her ashes alongside her husband’s. That same weekend, there will be an informal gathering in Mason City for friends.

If you’d like to leave a comment for the family, please visit this obituary post on Judy’s personal Facebook page.