Judith Contreras

Judith Marie Contreras (née DeLong), born August 5, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, passed away on March 27, 2026, at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois. She was residing in Burbank, Illinois at the time of her passing and spent most of her life rooted in Western Springs, Illinois.

Judith was a force of nature—fierce, passionate, and unyielding. She lived loudly, loved deeply, and carried a spirit that could not be contained. She was known for her boisterous attitude, sharp wit, her sassy humor, and her ability to leave a lasting impression wherever she went. To know her was to feel her presence in full color.

In the 1990s, Judith stood at the frontlines of her community in Cicero, Illinois, as an activist, advocate, and protector. She served as a Campaign Manager for a presidential candidate within the town’s leadership and founded Mothers Against Gangs, working tirelessly to help transform her community into a safer place for families. She fought fiercely for immigrant communities, recognizing their strength and the vital role they played in shaping the neighborhood. Her voice was strong, and she used it with purpose.

One of seven children, Judith carved her own path. She was the first and only among her siblings to earn a bachelor’s degree, graduating from Lewis University with a degree in psychology—a reflection of both her determination and her depth. Her soul found expression in the living world around her. She rescued animals with a special devotion to birds, cared for the vulnerable, and found freedom in her lifelong connection to horses as an equestrian. Her hands brought life to the earth as a gifted gardener, and her mind wandered through literature and poetry, where she both read and wrote with quiet intensity. In her later years, she devoted herself to caring for her mother, Patricia Francis DeLong, who preceded her in death on December 9th, 2024—a final act of loyalty and endurance that spoke to the complexity of her love.

Judith is survived by her husband, Epigmenio Contreras; her children, Daniel Joseph DeLong, Samantha Irene DeLong, Isabel Maria Rendon, and Juan Carlos “Charlie” Contreras; and her grandchildren, Damian DeLong and Ollin Heredia. To love Judith was not always easy—but it was powerful, and it was real. As her children and family, we carry both the beauty and the weight of that love. Now, as we lay her to rest, we also lay to rest the struggles, the hardships, and the pain that walked alongside it. We choose to hold onto the light she carried—the passion, the strength, the humor, and the life she gave to this world. And we release what no longer needs to be carried. In this moment of parting, we honor her whole story. We remember her as she was—complex, human, fierce, and unforgettable. May she now find the peace that may have eluded her here, and may that same peace find its way to those she leaves behind. What was heavy, we release. What was love, we carry forward.

A private memorial will be held for immediate family only, on Saturday April 4th, 2026 at 3PM

Aftercare arrangements entrusted to Chicagoland Cremation Options of Schiller Park, IL