Judy Cashwell

admired by, her daughter, Rebecca Reynolds

My mother embodies everything a woman should. She is brave, strong, compassionate, hard working and humble. She overcame cervical cancer when I was 6 years old but I never would have known it. She fought her battle silently as not to disrupt my childhood. Early in her career as a police officer, she was on patrol when she responded to a trespass call. While being placed under arrest, a fight between my mother and the tresspasser ensued and the tresspasser bit her. Later it was discovered that he had hepatitis c which he then passed to my mom. This changed her career for good. She was a police officer for 21 years; one of the first female police officers in Tampa. After her injury (the bite resulting in hep c) she stayed on the force and worked in elderly affairs where she helped the elderly stay independent as long as possible, she was a child abuse investigator, elderly abuse investigator, domestic violence investigator, and ended her career screening rookies for the department. When she retired she just couldn't stay home so she went on to be a teacher for 6 years. As a teacher, she taught criminal justice in a low income school where half of her students were in gangs. She helped turn them around and gave them hope. She volunteered with her church community and served on the police memorial committee. While doing all of this, she raised two daughters and was active as a band mom, a chorus mom, and a girl scout troop leader. Now she spends her days working part time at Publix and watching after her grandchildren if she isn't on a cruise ship!