Judith H. Cogswell

Judith H. Cogswell, 82, of Topeka passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2020. She was born November 20, 1937 at Laurel, Mississippi, the daughter of Christian F. and Pauline Rimes Hahn. Judith lived in Mississippi until the age of 12. Her family moved to Washington D.C. and Judith lived there prior to coming to Topeka. She graduated from Topeka High School in 1955. She attended the University of Kansas and received her Associate’s Degree. She started her family and shortly thereafter moved to California. Judith returned to Topeka four years later and lived the rest of her life here.
Judith stayed home to raise her children and worked several jobs through the years. She worked for an audiologist, was a interior designer at Sears and at Big Brothers and Big Sisters before beginning her job at Washburn University. She worked there 15 years before retiring in 2009.
Judy had been a volunteer at the Helping Hands Humane Society. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority. Other interests include oil painting, music and reading. Home Free was a favorite musical group. “Pillars of the Earth” was a favorite book, and “Tears and a Smile” by Kahlil Gibran was a favorite poem.
She is survived by three children, Dia M. Fox of Topeka, Niki Lyn Fincham of Lawrence, Shea Lara Cogswell of Topeka; three grandchildren, Tasha Poort of Topeka, Dustin Lee Fox of Seattle, and Brandon Fincham of Topeka; four great grandchildren, Jarred, Jordan, Joshua and Ellarie Poort; and her sister, Diana Dunkley and husband Arnold of Oskaloosa, Kansas.
She was preceded in death by her son, Michael Christian Cogswell in 1983.
Cremation is planned. Memorial contributions may be made to the Topeka Rescue Mission or to the Helping Hands Humane Society.