Sword-Attack Victim Left a Legacy of Wit

A victim of last week’s fatal sword attack at an Irvine supermarket was remembered affectionately Saturday as a “mother hen” who doted on family and friends.

“She truly lived life to the fullest,” the Rev. Charles Murphy said of Judith Fleming during a standing-room-only service at Whittier’s Rose Hills Memorial Park. “She never looked back. She leaves a legacy of love and will be truly and deeply missed.”

Fleming, 55, was killed June 29 when an employee wielding a samurai-style sword entered the Albertsons supermarket where they worked at Culver Drive and Irvine Boulevard and began slashing employees and customers. Also killed were employee John G. Nutting, 60 -- whose memorial service is scheduled for today -- and Joseph Parker, 30, a grocery-bagger who was shot by police about 10 minutes after mounting the attack.

The sudden and violent nature of Fleming’s death was much on the minds of those who spoke at her funeral. “None of us is immune from evil and tragedy,” Murphy said. “Sometimes it happens at the most unlikely of times.”

Mostly, though, they remembered her as a doting friend, wife and mother who taught Sunday school, loved vacationing at Lake Havasu, Ariz., didn’t mind being the butt of jokes, enjoyed shopping -- especially at Nordstrom in the Brea Mall, where she was fond of raspberry walnut salads -- was highly competitive in games at wedding and baby showers, and loved cutting up with her best friends, a group of women who referred to themselves as the “Ya Yas.”

Among Fleming’s nicknames, her friends and family said, were “Radar” -- referring to her retention of details and relish of a good story -- and “Mrs. Clean” for her concern with cleanliness.

And the anecdotes they shared contained the humor they all knew she loved.

“Somewhere I know that Judy is in my heart,” said her sister-in-law, Lisa Reed, adding that, though she did not share Fleming’s passion for shopping, she’d felt compelled to buy an expensive outfit at Nordstrom for the funeral.

“I think Judy wanted me to go to Nordstrom, not Mervyn’s,” Reed said. “I know she will stay with me all the time -- when the Visa bill comes, maybe not quite as close.”

Fleming’s husband, Dave -- flanked by their two grown daughters -- thanked those who had tried to fend off last Sunday’s attack, especially Ryan Flanagan, whom he described as “an ordinary customer who tried to intervene and received serious injuries.”

“We respect the acts of people we don’t even know who were ready to enter the store to help,” Dave Fleming said.

“We all have a duty to help each other at critical times.”

Speaking of his life with Judith, whom he had known since childhood, Fleming said: “I am fortunate to have spent almost 50 years of my life with Judy. Anyone who met her was enriched by the encounter. We will go on. It’s what Judy would want, and Judy usually gets what she wants.”