Judith Granberg

Judith Gallyot was born in New York City to La Rue Purcell and Albert Gallyot. In 1955, she and three siblings moved to San Francisco to live with her mother and stepfather, Kemble Antz. La Rue would have three more children before she died of cancer in 1959. Judy was just eleven years old. When she was about thirteen, she started taking responsibility for the care of her three younger siblings. She disciplined them, taught them to cook, organized weekend outings, and helped with holiday celebrations. She was a steady rock for the family.

After graduating from Lowell High School in 1965, Judy attended San Francisco City College for two years and then transferred to San Francisco State College. She majored in Criminology, a subject which held life-long fascination. She was a brilliant student and was encouraged by her professor to further her studies at a prestigious Criminology graduate program. She did not follow that path but instead worked full-time after earning her BA, while doing what she loved best: horseback riding.

Judy had gotten her first horse at age 13, a Pinto she named Cherokee, and stabled it nearby at McLaren Park. Later, she kept a horse at Palo Mar Stables near the Pacific Ocean. Her favorite thing was to ride along the beach. She competed in many horse shows, towing her horse to different events around the state, earning many ribbons and trophies. She also taught others to ride. She was an equestrian nearly her entire life, and it is why since the 1970s, she had envisioned owning a ranch.

She also loved dogs, getting her first one, a mutt she named Apache, when she was 13. Dobermans were her favorite breed, and she had at least three she named Gem. Judy appreciated the unconditional love, protection, and companionship that her dogs provided. She also studied their behavior and became an excellent dog trainer. She competed in dog shows for many years. In the last few decades of her life, she devoted her energy to create a successful dog boarding and training business, the Granberg Training Center (GTC). She was a member of The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) and maintained her certification as a dog trainer by attending their annual education conferences.

Judy had a brilliant and active mind. She excelled in whatever she focused upon. She typed over one hundred words per minute. In the early 1970s, she worked as a transcriber for her stepdad’s court reporting firm, Tooker & Antz, later becoming its office manager for several years. After that she followed her interest in the law and became a legal secretary. While working for the California Attorney General she met her future husband, Derald Granberg.

Judy, always independent, bought her first house in Oakland in 1978. She loved her brick two-bedroom home. In 1983, Judy and Derald were wed, and their son David was born. They lived in a beautiful, split-level home in the Oakland Hills until 1985, when they found the ranch in Georgetown. Judy was quite active taking care of her family and the ranch, gardening, riding horses, training dogs, and doing volunteer work. She was always a busy bee. In the evenings she enjoyed watching television, whether it be science-fiction, mysteries, or forensics.

Judy was a devoted mother. She volunteered in David’s classroom and the PTA, eventually joining the school board, and becoming its president. She encouraged David’s education, through graduation from St. Mary’s College, his father’s Alma Mater.

Judy met many people in El Dorado County through her volunteer activities in the schools, 4-H youth programs, and her work with dogs and horses. Over the years, she helped many dog owners learn to understand and take good care of their pets. While she loved the privacy of the ranch, she was also very sociable and had a good sense of humor. She spent many a Saturday morning chatting with clients and friends after the weekly dog training class. She also loved 1960s folk music and had a large collection of oldies she listened to while working on her precious ranch.

In 2011, she learned that she had breast cancer. By the time it was discovered it was already at stage four, having spread to her bones. She got treatment and lived with it for eleven years before she finally passed peacefully at home.

Judy was preceded in passing by her mother and father, her stepfather, and her siblings Bruce, Jeanne, and Kiilu. She is survived by her husband Derald; her son David and his wife Jamie, granddaughters Savannah and Lilah; and four siblings: Karen, Anthony, Labeeba, and Christopher, in addition to many nieces and nephews. She left behind two canine companions: Gem and Kona.

Rest in Peace, Beloved.