Obituary: Judith Elizabeth Small

Judith Elizabeth Small found great comfort and joy in the search for inner peace. During her life, she published four poetry books, two humorous books about cats and one novella.
August 21, 2025

March 7, 1936 — July 27, 2025

Born in Chicago in 1936, Judith Elizabeth Small transitioned out of this life on July 27 at age 89, at Celia’s House in Medford. She was 89.

In 1963, Judith moved to Southern California and was amazed to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time. She sought to create beauty wherever she lived. She spent time in California, New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon and the place she loved the most, the island of Maui.

Judith graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. Then she earned her master’s degree in transpersonal psychology at the Institute for Transpersonal Psychology (now Sophia University) in Menlo Park, California. She trained as a clinical hypnotherapist and certified in the work of Byron Katie. She also taught the Avatar Course, which examined core belief systems. In addition, she assisted well-known authors and therapists in their workshops on cellular healing through body-centered awareness and breath work. She facilitated groups in Ashland and on Maui exploring the intuitive wisdom of women.

A poet and painter, her life’s passion was the quest for the truth of who we really are, beyond beliefs, identities and the illusion of separation. She found great comfort and joy in the search for inner peace.

During her life, she published four poetry books, two humorous books about cats and one novella, all under the name Judith Whitman Small.

Her beloved husband, Ed Small, passed in 2018. She is survived by three biological children, three stepchildren and 10 grandchildren. We will miss her beauty, charm, humor and focus on all things related to the soul and spirit.

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