Judy McCracken

Judy McCracken, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and cherished member of the Sonoma community, passed away peacefully on November 12, 2024. Born in San Diego to Marjorie and Leonard Loechel on July 6, 1942, Judy’s life was a shining example of resilience, boundless love, and relentless optimism. After attending Stephens College, Judy earned her teaching credential from San Jose State, launching her career as a grade-school teacher. Teaching was just one of her many callings. Judy was an avid seamstress and worked for a couple of local fabric stores. She had a passion for cooking, including briefly running her own catering business. First and foremost, however, she was devoted to her family, her faith, and her community. She raised her three sons – Marc Petersen, Greg Petersen, and Troy Petersen – in Sonoma with her first husband, John Petersen. Later, as “Grammie,” she poured her love and creativity into her six grandchildren — Bryce Petersen, Talia Petersen, Cole Petersen, Tyler Petersen, Zachary Petersen, and Zadie Petersen — who will always treasure her delicious holiday feasts, decadent chocolate cakes, and thoughtful handmade crafts that showed her love and care. Judy was famous for her Sunday night taco dinners, in which she joyfully fried thousands of taco shells over her lifetime — creating delicious meals and cherished family memories. A pivotal chapter in Judy’s life began when she met David McCracken, the long-time pastor of the First Congregational Church in Sonoma. Their shared faith, passion for music, and love for serving others brought them together, and they were married for 27 wonderful years until David’s passing in 2017. Judy sang in the church choir, performed with the bell-ringing group, and, alongside David, participated for many years in the Sonoma Valley Chorale. Having experienced significant loss herself – including the passing of her father Leonard at the age of 12 and later the loss of her mother Marjorie’s second husband, Glenn Seifert, to cancer – Judy deeply understood the power of empathy. She channeled this compassion into her volunteer work at the WillMar Family Grief and Healing Center, offering support and hope to many grieving children and families over the years. After suffering a stroke in 2019, Judy moved into the Cogir assisted living facility in Sonoma (formerly Sunrise Villa), where she lived until earlier this year when she moved into Serenity Villa in Santa Rosa for additional care as her dementia advanced. Judy is survived by her three sons, six grandchildren, and her older brother, Bob Loechel. In lieu of flowers, Judy’s family encourages donations to the First Congregational Church of Sonoma in her honor. All will be welcome at Judy’s Celebration of Life service, to be held at the church on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 1 p.m

Judy McCracken

July 6, 1942 - November 12, 2024