Judith Owens-Lancaster

Judith Owens-Lancaster died peacefully at Whatcom Hospice House on October 17, 2024, with family and friends at her side. She was born Judith Ann Gaskill on October 25, 1940, in Bellingham to Jack Gaskill and Lulie Blackinton Gaskill. She grew up in Bellingham and graduated from Bellingham High School in 1958. She continued her studies in music at Western Washington State College (now WWU), and at Columbia University. 

In New York City Judith pursued a performing career, appearing frequently in both opera and musical theater productions. She performed regularly with the Amato Opera in Manhattan, Lubo Opera in Madison, NJ, and musical theater companies throughout the region. Her favorite operatic roles were Azucena in Il Trovatore, Amneris in Aida, and Santuzza in Cavalleria Rusticana.

Judith was a gifted intuitive and healer, becoming a certified hypnotherapist in 1987,  and a Reiki practitioner ten years later. 

She married Clifton Lancaster in 1986 and together they returned to the Northwest in 1992, settling on Orcas Island near Judith’s aunt, Florence, and her extended family. She worked for The Island’s Sounder, while pursuing her love of performing, appearing in and directing numerous productions at the Orcas Center.

Judith was an enrolled member of the Samish Tribe. She served as secretary for the Samish Tribal Council for four years, and for many years was a member of the Enrollment Committee. She regularly participated in the Tribe’s annual meetings and, after 2000, the Elders’ annual meetings. 

She retired in the early 2000’s and moved back to Bellingham. She had a long and fruitful relationship with the Bellingham Theater Guild, directing many classic musicals there beginning with “Oklahoma” in 2005. Others included “Annie Get Your Gun,” “Guys and Dolls,” “Damn Yankees,” and most recently “Crazy for You” in 2019. As an actress she was seen in plays at BTG and heard in radio broadcasts by the Midnight Mystery Players. As a playwright she presented several original works in the Bellingham One-Act Theater festival, and full-length plays at the Sylvia Center. In 2016 she was honored with the Mayor’s Arts Award by Mayor Kelli Linville.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved brother Larry, as well as her ex-husband Clif. She is survived by Clif’s mother, Henrietta Lancaster; and two stepchildren, Shaunty Ipock of Port Angeles, and Talon Windwalker of Janesville, Wisconsin. Judith is remembered lovingly by her extended family, including the Samish tribe, and by countless friends.