Yadira "Judy" Ochoa-Freeman was taken from us too soon on August 30th, 2011. She was born in McAllen, Texas on December 11th, 1959 to Irma Salinas Ochoa and Jose Guadalupe Ochoa. She graduated from PSJA High School in 1978 and attended Texas Woman's University where she received her B.S. degree in Speech Pathology. She also attended Our Lady of the Lake University where she received her MBA in Heath Care Administration. She worked as a speech pathologist for several schools including Waxahachie ISD and Garland ISD. Judy worked for several years at Cigna and Aetna Heathcare in Dallas and at Good Shepard Medical Center and Davita Dialysis Center in Longview, TX as a Managed Heathcare Administrator. Judy's love for the outdoors inspired her move to Lake Cherokee in Longview, TX where she was a member of the Lakepoint Church. She was a remarkably kind, compassionate, and generous woman who was admired by everyone she met. She gave her time and services to various charitable organizations. She had many hobbies including country music, cooking, soduko, puzzles, boating and skiing. She loved to travel and shared many happy memories traveling, especially with her parents. She truly embodied goodness with her loving heart, contagious laugh, and beautiful smile. Family reunions will never be the same without her energy and fun loving personality. Her drive, tenacity, and determination were an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be profoundly missed by those who loved her. Judy is survived by her two sons, David Ricardo Contreras (Angie), Marco Luis Contreras (Karima), her brothers Joe Ochoa (Ellie), Efrain Ochoa (Lisa), her sister Irma de la Fuente (David), and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her grandparents, Hortencia Avendano Salinas and Luz Salinas and Juanita Castaneda Ochoa and Saturnino Ochoa. She is reunited with the love of her life Don Freeman at their ranch in heaven. Visitation will be held at Restland Funeral Home on Saturday, September 3rd from 6p-7p and a Rosary from 7p-8p. A Holy Communion service will be held Sunday, September 4th at 10a.m. at Restland Funeral with burial following.

=================================

Yadi was my cousin and
I will miss her very much!
Love you always, Rose

=================================================

Christmas In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below,
with tiny lights like Heaven's stars
reflecting on the snow.

The sights so spectacular,
please wipe away that tear,
for I'm having a beautiful Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I heard many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear,
but the sound of music cannot compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you
and the joy their voices bring,
for it is beyond description
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart,
but I‘m really not so far away,
we really aren't apart.

So be happy for me family,
you know I hold you dear,
be glad I'm having a beautiful Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I'm sending you a very special gift
from my heavenly home above.
I'm sending you a special memory
of my undying love.

After all love is a gift
more precious than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.

So let's love each other,
as the Father said to do,
for I cannot count all of the blessings
that He has for you.

There is no hurt, pain or sorrow here,
and please wipe away that tear,
And remember I'm having a beautiful Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

Love, Judy

=================================================

You can shed tears that she is gone
or you can smile because she has lived.

You can close your eyes & pray
that she'll come back
or you can open your eyes &
see all she's left.

Your heart can be empty
because you can't see her
or you can be full of the
love you shared.

You can turn your back on tomorrow
& live yesterday
or you can be happy for tomorrow
because of yesterday.

You can remember her & only
that she's gone
or you can cherish her memory
and let it live on.

You can cry & close your mind,
be empty & turn your back
or you can do what she'd want.

Open your eyes, smile,
Love one another with respect
because life goes on.
=============================

There's a special angel in Heaven
that is part of us.
It is not where we wanted her
but where God wanted her to be.

She was here just a bit,
Like a night time shooting star.
And though she is in Heaven
She isn't very far.

She touched the hearts of many
Like only an Angel can do.

So I send this special message
To the Heaven up above.
Please take care of our Angel
And send her all our love.

Those we love remain with us
For love lives on and on.
And cherished memories never fade
Because a loved one's gone...

Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart,
For as long as there is memory
They'll live on in our hearts.
============================

The Next Place

The next place that I go
Will be as peaceful and familiar
As a sleepy summer Sunday
And a sweet, untroubled mind.
And yet . . .

It won't be anything like any place
I've ever been or seen. . .
or even dreamed of

In the place I leave behind.
I won't know where I'm going,
And I won't know where I've been
As I tumble through the always
And look back toward the when.

I'll glide beyond the rainbows.
I'll drift above the sky.
I'll fly into the wonder,
without ever wondering why.

I won't remember getting there.
Somehow I'll just arrive.
But I'll know that I belong there
And will feel much more alive
Than I have ever felt before.

I will be absolutely
I'm free of the things that I held onto
That were holding onto me.
The next place that I go
Will be so quiet and so still
That the whispered song of sweet
belonging will rise up to fill
The listening sky with joyful silence,
And with unheard harmonies
Of music made by no one playing,
Like a hush upon breeze.

There will be no room for darkness
in that place of living light,
Where an ever-dawning morning
pushes back the dying night.

The very air will fill with brilliance,
as the brightly shining sun
And the moon and half a million stars
are married into one.

The next place that I go
Won't really be a place at all.
There won't be any seasons --
Winter, summer, spring or fall --
Nor a Monday, Nor a Friday,
Nor December, Nor July.
And the seconds will be standing still. . .
While hours hurry by.

I will not be a boy or girl,
A woman or man.
I'll simply be just, simply, me.
No worse or better than.

My skin will not be dark or light.
I won't be fat or tall.
The body I once lived in
Won't be part of me at all.

I will finally be perfect.
I will be without a flaw.
I will never make one more mistake,
Or break the smallest law.

And the me that was impatient,
Or was angry, or unkind,
Will simply be a memory.
The me I left behind.

I will travel empty-handed.
There is not a single thing
I have collected in my life
That I would ever want to bring Except. . .
The love of those who loved me,
And the warmth of those who cared.

The happiness and memories
And magic that we shared.
Though I will know the joy of solitude. . .
I'll never be alone. I'll be embraced
By all the family and friends I've ever known.

Although I might not see their faces,
All our hearts will beat as one,
And the circle of our spirits
Will shine brighter than the sun.

I will cherish all the friendship
I was fortunate to find,
All love and all the laughter
in the place I leave behind.

All these good things will go with me.
They will make my spirit glow.
And that light will shine forever
In the next place that I go.
====================================

They say that life is fleeting,
I know that this is true,
I left this world so quickly,
With no goodbye to you.

I know how much you miss me,
Your tears fall ever light,
The pillow where you lay your head,
Is wet with them at night.

I know your heart is hurting,
The words we left, unsaid,
I love you's left unspoken,
Are spinning in your head.

The strength that I have carried,
That served to make you whole,
Remains to make you stronger,
Within your grieving soul.

For you see, while you were weeping,
On the day I passed away,
At the gravesite near the flowers,
Where my loved ones knelt to pray.

An angel came to see me,
She took me by the hand.
She led me to a kingdom,
In a very distant land.

As I look down from the heaven,
And see you standing there,
Your heart so ever burdened,
With more weight than it can bear.

I long to bring you comfort,
I long to give you peace,
I long to hold you closely,
And cause all your tears to cease.

The joy I've found in heaven,
Goes far beyond compare,
The love that's so elusive,
Can be found here everywhere.

The light is softly shining,
There's no storm clouds here
or rain,
There are no teardrops found in heaven;
There's no suffering, no pain.

You needn't be so troubled,
Stay close to God and pray,
That someday we'll be together,
One bright and glorious day.
======================================

I'm Free

Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me
I took His hand when I heard His call
I turned my back and left it all

I could not stay another day
To laugh, to love to work or play
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at the close of day

If my parting has left a void
Then fill it with remembered joy
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Oh yes, these things I too will miss

Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow
My life was full; I savored much
Good friends, good times, and also
A loved one's special touch

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief
Don't lengthen it now with undo grief
Lift up your hearts and share with me
God wanted me now...He set me free.
====================================

Heaven's Gate

A brief moment of darkness
was all that I knew,
before Heaven's Gate
came into my view.

Loved ones and friends
I had missed for many years,
welcomed me with open arms
and many happy tears.

All the hurt, fear and pain
that I have ever known,
is gone from my life,
I am finally home.

I gazed upon the Lord's
sweet smiling face, and
for the first time in my life
I knew and felt His grace.

I know that you miss me,
but please dry your eyes.
I will always be watching
and loving you from my
home in the sky.

A cool breeze on your face,
a touch of light rain,
I will send as a reminder
that we will be reunited again.

Life on earth is but one
brief moment in time,
I am finally home,
Eternity is mine.

==========================

There's a special angel in Heaven
that is part of us.
It is not where We wanted her
but where God wanted her to be.

She was here just a bit,
Like a night time shooting star.
And though she is in Heaven
She isn't very far.

She touched the hearts of many
Like only an Angel can do.
So I send this special message
To the Heaven up above.
Please take care of our Angel
And send her all our love.
Those we love remain with us
For love lives on and on.
And cherished memories never fade
Because a loved one's gone...
Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart,
For as long as there is memory
They'll live on in our hearts.

=================================

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I'm not there, I do not sleep.

I'm a thousand winds that blow,
I'm the diamond glint on the snow.

I'm the sunlight on ripened grain,
I'm the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning,
Hush, I'm the swift uplifting rush.

Of the quiet birds in circled flight,
I'm the soft star that shines at night.

Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I'm simply asleep, I did not die!
=====================================

Rest in Peace