If you ever saw a woman dressed head-to-toe in a Halloween costume visiting local businesses like it was her personal runway – chances are you knew Judy Brewer. Known around Blanco as “the Halloween Lady,” Judy was a firecracker of a woman who believed life was meant to be busy, colorful, and full of laughter.

Judy Sylvia Baker Brewer was born Dec. 9, 1935 and departed Sept. 28, 2025. She was born in Chicago to Theodore Baker and Sophia Rinkus. Judy’s life took its first big plot twist when her mom married Tony Kristoff and Judy gained three younger stepbrothers. Raised on a farm in southern Illinois, Judy quickly realized she was not cut out for the quiet farm life—at 17 she packed up her independence and went to work at Western Union. Not long after, she and four friends pulled a classic “California or bust” move, chasing sunshine and adventure to the West Coast.

While working as a waitress in California, Judy met charter pilot Jerry Malone. The two married, had three boys – Bruce, Steven and Glenn – and proceeded to set some sort of unofficial Guinness World Record by moving into more than 30 houses before parting ways in 1977. (If you ever lost track of them, don’t worry, Judy sometimes did too.)

Fate had more in store. In 1982 Judy married the love of her life, Bobby Brewer, and finally put down roots in Blanco, where she lived happily for the next 43 years.

Judy wasn’t one to sit still. She worked at NAPA Auto Parts, Klepek Greenhouses, and kept books for several small businesses. She volunteered at the Blanco Good Samaritan Center, helped with the volunteer fire department’s legendary fish fry, sang in the church choir, and generally kept herself busier than most committees combined. Come October, she went into full production mode – transforming her house into a Halloween wonderland and creating costumes so good they made store-bought look like an afterthought.

She leaves behind her sons Bruce, Steven and Glenn Malone; stepdaughter Stacy Brewer Hinze and husband Scott; granddaughter Deven Malone; step-grandchildren August and Harlan Hinze; brother Larry Kristoph; sister-in-law Doris Kristoph; niece Dee Ann Kristoph-Litterest and husband Kurt; and nephews Mark, Kip, and wife Sherry.

A celebration of Judy’s lively, spirited and occasionally costume-clad life will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church, at 703 Main Street in Blanco, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4.

In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring Judy with a donation to St. Jude Children’s Hospital (www.stjude.org/donate) – because Judy was all about helping others.

The Brewer and Malone families extend heartfelt thanks to the good people of Blanco for loving Judy as one of their own.

Though Judy has moved on from this world, rest assured her spirit is still busy somewhere – probably in a dazzling Halloween costume.