Judy Ann Pavel

Judy Ann Pavel, 68, of Weirton, WV, passed away on Monday, January 26, 2026, following her second courageous battle with cancer with grace, calm, and comfort; as quietly and beautifully as a monarch butterfly completing its journey.

Judy was born on December 30, 1957, in Weirton, WV, the second of four children born to the late Clarence B. and Ruth M. Venner Cunningham, Sr.

At the age of 19, Judy met the love of her life, Theodore “Teddy” Pavel, while riding street and trail bikes. After two years of dating, they were united in marriage and were blessed with one son. Teddy worked for Weirton Steel on the railroad, while Judy devoted herself to caring for their home and family. She took great pride in her home and found joy in planting flowers and tending to her garden.

In addition to her parents, Judy was preceded in death by her brother, Clarence B. “Curly” Cunningham, Jr.

She will be deeply missed by her loving husband, Theodore “Teddy”  Pavel; her son, Shawn (Christine) Pavel; her sisters, Jeannie (Tom) Silveri and Penny (Doug) Wright.

In addition, she is survived by her sisters-in-law: Geraldine (Dennie) Aracich, Anna Smith (late Smitty), Mary Little (Tim), and Paula (John) Lane, cousin, Robert Pavel, along with many nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.

She also shared a special, quietly nurtured bond; one shaped across two decades of memories; with Danika, Daphney, and Clayton, a bond they will forever hold in the heart’s enduring light.

Judith Anne was a woman shaped by courage yet carried by grace; someone who walked with quiet beauty, moved with inner wisdom, and lived with a presence that never needed to be loud to be unmistakably felt. She lived with natural elegance: long, vibrant hair she kept untouched, makeup done with care, attire chosen with dignity. She understood the language of creation; the symbolism of flowers, the meaning of hummingbirds, the message of cardinals.

What she saw in nature, she translated into watercolor art, into cakes decorated with intention, into seeds crossed and planted until they bloomed into something new. Even her meals became expressions of creativity and calm.

She spent time on horseback in her early years, drawn to their steady grace; a reflection of the grounded, peaceful spirit that stayed with her always.

And now, as her journey continues beyond this world, her light remains; quiet, radiant as a red cardinal’s visit, and ever-present; in every life she touched. She is now in the red cardinal that returns to remind us she is still nearby.

Visitation will be held Wednesday from 4:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home, 3219 Main Street, Weirton, WV, where funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Thursday.

Celebrant Elijah A.P. Dille will preside.

Interment will follow at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, Weirton.

Share tributes and memories at www.grecohertnick.com