Judith Joanne Shaak, 84, passed away unexpectedly under the care of hospice at the Reading Hospital Tower Health on June 8, 2026. She was surrounded by her loved ones and entered into eternity, peacefully and comfortably.
She was born in Lebanon on March 15, 1942, and was the daughter of George T. Guare Sr. and Bernice C. (Bleistein) Guare. She was the wife of the late Irvin J. Shaak Jr. for over 60 years.
Judith was a graduate of Lebanon High School. She was a hard worker and had many different jobs throughout her life. She enjoyed being the evening shift supervisor at Everite Knitting Mills in Lebanon, PA. She cherished the friendships she made there and was known to provide pizza parties for her staff as a kind gesture of appreciation. Her main occupation was being a mother to six children.
Judith enjoyed camping, going to the beach (Wildwood Crest), attending car shows, and singing karaoke with Irvin. She was very social and enjoyed family and friend gatherings and holiday celebrations. She loved dogs and especially her last one, Scotty.
She was very spiritual, read the Bible every day, and prayed often for her family and friends and the state of our country.
In her later years, she joined Irvin at the Wyomissing Health and Rehab Center, and she was able to share and support him until his passing. At Wyomissing, she developed a passion for reading, rekindled her crocheting expertise, and made many baby blankets for staff and family. She kept busy doing crossword puzzles, word searches, and games on her iPad.
At Wyomissing, she especially looked forward to visits from her grandchildren for holidays and special occasions. She appreciated the love and support.
Judith became the resident “Match Maker” for the staff at Wyomissing. She believed she could help every single staff person find true love. She was also the best friend of the lonely fish in the tank in the library. Judith was generous and would share anything she had with other residents. She also would continue to donate any funds she had to many of her favorite causes. She will be missed by her friends and staff there because of her big personality and big heart.
She is survived by her children, Debra Lukens, Waneida Spangler, Kevin Fitzpatrick, Lori Norman (Jeffrey), and Bryan Shaak; grandchildren, Brandi, Christopher, Brian, Jennifer, Jason, Abbagale, Griffin (Haley), Brittni, and Hannah (John); and great-grandchildren, Ryland and Gwendolyn. She was able to meet and hold Gwen, which gave her great joy. She was also elated to find out she was expecting two more great-grandchildren, a boy and a girl. She is also survived by her sister, Carol Lengle, and multiple nieces and nephews. Her niece, Deborah Patches, stayed in contact with Judith, and it was very special to her.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Irvin Shaak; son, Ernest Shaak; and brothers, George Guare and John Warlow.
All services are private at the request of Judith. A celebration of life will take place at a later date at the convenience of the immediate family.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Judith’s name may be made to the local SPCA, 848 S. Prince St., Lancaster, PA 17603, or St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Thompson Funeral Home Inc. is entrusted with the arrangements. The family welcomes your memories and messages in Thompson Funeral Home’s online guest book at thompsonfuneralhomelebanon.com.
