Judith Welker Kline

Judith Welker Kline, of Taneytown, MD, and Charleston, WV, passed on March 31, 2025, at the age of 76, after a short illness. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Edmund P. and Ethel Welker of Taneytown, MD. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Peter Carl Kline (1983), and significant other, David Spradling (2025), her sister, Sandra W. Smith, her brothers Leigh Welker and Ronald P. Welker Sr. Surviving her are her sister-in-law, Carolyn Welker, brother-in-law, Frank Smith, and numerous nieces and nephews and their children. The family would like to thank Dr. Kainat Kanwal of CAMC Memorial Hospital, along with the many nurses and staff members who cared for Judy during her illness. We recognize special friends and neighbors Debra Basham, Angie Cruikshank, Debi O’Dell, and Leslie Gallian for their help and support during this time.

A long-time resident of Charleston, WV, Judy was a dedicated math teacher who taught at Herbert Hoover High School, Capital High School, and throughout many summer school sessions. She was a skilled educator who cared deeply for her students and wanted them to be successful. Like many teachers, Judy took on extracurricular activities like Homecoming (Capital HS) and coaching cheerleaders (Hoover HS). After retiring, Judy continued her love of teaching by tutoring and substituting until 2024.

Ferociously independent, Judy Welker Kline loved life, lived it on her terms, even though she suffered many losses; there was a loyalty, warmth, and kindness that still showed through that sometimes-tough facade.

An active outdoor enthusiast, she loved camping, boating, and taking road trips, especially to Huntington Beach State Park in SC. One of her most memorable accomplishments was participating in a Wheel of Fortune episode and winning a car and a trip to China.

A graveside ceremony at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Taneytown, MD, will be held on April 16, 2025, at 11 am, and all are invited to attend. For the Taneytown, MD burial, inquiries can be made to Myers-Durboraw Funeral Home, 410-756-6688.

There will be a celebration of life, May 15, 2025, for those in Charleston, WV, from 4 pm to 5 pm at Mt. Tabor UMC in Pinch, WV. An informal reception will take place at the church after the ceremony.

For inquiries regarding the memorial service on May 15th, please email Debi O’Dell at odmarvin@aol.com or pm on Facebook or Angie Cruikshank at angela.cruikshank@gmail.com or Leslie Gallian at lesliejgallian@gmail.com.