Obituary: Judy Possen

Judy Ann Possen, age 75, of Fargo, N.D., entered heaven on Thursday, April 8, 2021, while at her home surrounded by her family.

Judy Ann (Sylling) Possen was born March 28, 1946 to Norris and Joy (Olson) Sylling. Being the oldest of four girls, she was a tomboy growing up on a farm five miles south of Oberon, N.D. Judy loved working in the barn, in the yard and fields. She was happiest when riding horse and singing with her sisters at church and various events. While in Oberon High School, she enjoyed basketball, and cheerleading, and graduated in 1964.

Shortly after high school, Judy moved to Whittier, Calif. to live with her paternal grandparents, Alfred and Iva Sylling. Their living testimony in Christ was so very pleasing to her, that during a church service on Jan. 17, 1965, the pastor gave an altar call where she went forward and accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. Judy immediately found happiness and comfort as a child of God, knowing He would take care of any and all things in her life. Alfred and Iva helped her through her first childbirth, a baby boy (Mark Bray) and placed him for adoption. A miracle reunion between Mark and Judy happened 40 years later.

In June of 1966, Judy married George E Noyes in California. They had four children: Christie, Scott, Tricia and Robert.

On Oct. 19, 1978, Judy married Robert R. Possen in Sheyenne, N.D., and he helped raise the children. They lived on a dairy farm near Woodlake, N.D. Moving a few times around North Dakota they eventually made their home in Fargo. Judy worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield of ND from 1988 – 2014. When she retired, she started working and volunteering at Bethel Evangelical Free Church up until a couple of weeks before her passing.

Judy experienced God's grace and mercy throughout her life and her cancer journey. The power of prayer, by so many of her family and friends, had kept most of this journey pain free. She trusted in God's faithfulness and leaned on His word, knowing that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) Throughout her life, she took comfort believing Jesus was always with her, loving her and providing for all her needs. Yet Judy's greatest ambition was to share Christ with others. She loved people and her legacy was to share with all family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers the love of Jesus and encouraged them to join her one day in heaven.

Judy is survived by her husband Bob, children, Mark (Shannon) Bray and their children Hannah and Jacob; Scott (Donna) Noyes and their children Kaylee, Andrew and Dawson; Christie's children Ciara, Loren, Chyan and Brayden, Tricia Noyes and her children Alex, Mercedes and Hunter; Robert (Julie) Noyes and their children Austin and Lexus, and 14 great-grandchildren. Sisters Cherryl (Brad) Bach, Peggy (Don) Lindstrom, Patty (Doug) Altringer, and sister-in-law Nancy Sylling. Preceded in death by her parents Norris and Joy Sylling; brother Bobby Sylling; daughter Christie Dickens; and granddaughter Kenadi Dickens; grandparents Alfred and Iva Sylling and Thorwald and Betsy Olson.

Memorial service was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, 2021 in Bethel Church, Fargo. Interment will be held at Hillside Cemetery, Oberon, N.D., at a later date.