Judith Ann Nester 

March 14, 1946-Nov. 21, 2014

Judith Ann Nester (nee Katski), 68, died at the Big Bend Hospice in Tallahassee, Fla., on Nov. 21, 2014, after a long struggle with breast cancer.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, at Culley’s Meadowwood Funeral Home at 1737 Riggins Road, Tallahassee, Fla. A funeral service is at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 211 N. Monroe St., Tallahassee, Fla. In lieu of flowers, Judi requested that a contribution be made to the American Cancer Society, which does so much to help those battling this disease.  

Judi was born March 14, 1946, in Annapolis, Md., to Harold Joseph Katski Jr. and Mary Katherine Katski, who have both predeceased her. Judi grew up in Shady Side on the Maryland shore of the Chesapeake Bay and moved to the District of Columbia for high school and then began to work for the federal government at the General Services Administration.  She then moved back to Annapolis to take a position with the Defense Department at Fort George Mead in Laurel, Md., and later as a consultant to a defense contractor in Fairfax, Va.

Always an avid sailor, she met Robert Burns in 1988, and together they sailed a 38-foot sailboat around most of the world from 1992 until 2006, visiting more than 70 countries and territories before returning to the United States as a New Zealand citizen. While on that trip, Judi and Robert were married in New Zealand in 2000.

 Looking for an interesting place to live, they drove through the U.S. and Canada and settled in Homer for five years. There Judi threw herself into volunteer work for several organizations, including the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies, Cook Inletkeeper, TEDx Homer and others. She started and organized Homer Hope, which collected clothing and food to benefit many needy Alaskans through the Homer Food Bank. Besides the volunteer work, Judi established and operated the Fire and Ice Lodging Bed and Breakfast in Homer that attracted rave reviews and visitors from half a dozen countries around the world.

In 2011 Judi and her husband moved to Tallahassee where they could be closer to Robert’s son. From 2007 until her passing, Judi was devoted to her friendly dog, Faizel, who was able to visit her in the Intensive Care Unit at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare.

Judi is survived by her husband, Robert H. Burns, and stepson Denis B. Burns in Tallahassee; her brother, David Katski; nephews, Daniel Katski and Larry Meyer Jr.; and nieces, Emily Meyer, Rebekah Katski, and Cassandra Katski, all of whom live in Oregon.

She was predeceased by her sister, Sharon Meyer, of Klamath Falls, Ore.