Judy H. Handal

Judy Ching-Huei Handal was born in Taipei, Taiwan on July 22, 1955 to Kenneth and Janet Chang. She reposed in the Lord on December 22, 2023 after a 6 month battle with lung cancer. She is preceded in death by her husband, Ihsan (Fr. Ephrem) Handal. She is survived by her two sons, Cyril and Jose Antonio, her daughter-in-law Holly, and 4 grandchildren: Kayla (6), Justin (4), Naomi (2), and Aaron (10 months).

Judy graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Maryland in 1977. She joined the Mother of God community, where she met and married Ihsan in 1989 after dating just a few short months. In 1990 she gave birth to Cyril, and welcomed Jose Antonio to the family via adoption in 1996. In the early days of her marriage, she worked at Marriott Headquarters as a secretary while Ihsan finished his doctorate. Once Ihsan began working full-time, she withdrew from the workforce and became a homemaker, focusing her attention on her two boys.

Judy will primarily be remembered for her graciousness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to serving others. She was the one to bring snacks to the boys’ soccer games, stay up late to help with homework, and be the cheerful, uncomplaining chauffeur to the boys’ various school functions and activities. She was a woman of extraordinary faith, fostering a devout prayer life in both the Eastern and Western traditions of Catholicism. She regularly prayed the rosary and cherished her weekly hour of adoration at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, while also being a vibrant and active member of her church community at Holy Transfiguration Melkite Church. In addition to the commitment of being an Orthodox Priest’s wife, she was a longtime member of the Ladies Guild, served as Chairwoman of the Mercy Meal committee, was a Sunday school teacher, volunteer for the Arabic Sweets fundraiser, and a regular contributor to every church festival and potluck, whether it be setup, cooking, serving, or cleanup.

One of her proudest roles was that of an active and charismatic “Teta,” meaning “grandmother,” in Arabic. She was cherished and adored by her 4 grandchildren, bringing armfuls of thoughtful gifts and creative activities for them to do together when she would babysit twice a week. She had a great passion for encouraging a child’s development at various stages, and was constantly researching books and ideas to share with and support her daughter-in-law.

In the rare moments she had to herself, she was an enthusiastic bargain-hunter, always delighted to share how impressive a deal she’d made when buying things for the church or gifts for her grandchildren. She was an avid reader and liked to keep her mind sharp by playing Bejeweled and Mahjong, and won many raffles as a result of her belief that “someone has to win!” Judy will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and community. Her legacy is one of remarkable patience and service. May her memory be eternal!

Her funeral will be held at Holy Transfiguration Church at 11:00 AM on Friday, December 29th (8501 Lewinsville Rd, McLean, VA 22102) with a brief visitation beforehand at 10:00AM. The burial will be the following day at All Souls Cemetery at 11:00 AM on Saturday, December 30th (11401 Brink Rd, Germantown, MD 20876).