Judith Ann Bunge, 91, of West Columbia, S.C., passed away on June 24, 2026, at Lexington Medical Center.
She was born on August 4, 1934, in Neenah-Menasha, Wis., to John and Florence (Hayes) Wrage.
Judith was an accomplished career woman who graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1956 with her soon-to-be (the following day) husband, Walter. Judith was an only child, but considered Walter’s siblings and their spouses her siblings too. She enjoyed getting to know them as a young bride, and staying close to them to this day. She kept track of all of the children and grandchildren of Walter’s four siblings. There were many family reunions in the early days that were enjoyed by all.
Judith and Walter both studied at the Sorbonne in Paris for a year, and then returned to Wisconsin, where Walter worked as a reporter and Judith had their first child. She worked at Head Start, earned a master’s degree at Kansas State University, and then her Ph.D. from Ohio State University. While living in Columbus, Ohio, for 20 years, she became an entrepreneur by opening the first professional nanny school in the U.S. She subsequently started a company designing and operating quality childcare centers for hospitals and other large businesses, with the goal of retaining nurses, doctors, and other staff, which she did successfully. She also taught classes at Ohio State in child development. She was an amazing mentor to her daughter Beth, in the business world and in childrearing.
Judith and Walter retired to Edgartown in 1999, where they met wonderful people, maintained great friendships, and invested a lot of volunteer time in several churches. The Vineyard was their favorite place to live, and later they continued to visit. In 2012 they moved to Lexington, S.C., to be near family.
She loved living in her retirement community, Laurel Crest. She was surrounded by dear friends there, and gained an amazing community after Walter passed. She loved to bake, hook rugs, read, listen to music, and entertain. Her two cats were an important part of her life, and are now lovingly taken care of in new homes.
Judith will be dearly missed by family, Laurel Crest friends, Vineyard friends, her two cats, and all those who knew her or crossed her path. She was a light in the world, and made a huge mark, especially in the field of early childhood development. Judith was always generous, as she lived by John Wesley’s rule, which says, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”
Judith was a beloved and cherished wife to Walter; and a loving mother to John (Mary Beth), Chris, Beth, and Carolyn. She was also a grandmother to 12 grandchildren, and a great-grandmother for the first time (Avalon and Eli).
Her funeral will be held on Nov. 27 at 2 pm, graveside at New Westside Cemetery, 7th Ave., Lot 347, Edgartown.
Memorials may be made to the Laurel Crest Employee Fund, 100 Joseph Walker Drive West, Columbia, SC 29169.
