RIP Judi MeredithLas Vegas Review-Journal
By Staff
May 10, 2014
Judi Meredith Nelson, 77, of Las Vegas, passed away April 30, 2014. She was born Judith Claire Boutin, Oct. 13, 1936, to Herbert Boutin and Janice M. Starr of Portland, Ore. Judi graduated from St. Mary's Academy in Portland. She was happily married to Gary Nelson for 51 years. They lived together in Encino, Calif. until 1998, then resided in both Chicago and Palm Beach, Fla., until finally settling in Las Vegas in 2002. At 15, Judi was a professional ice skater in the Ice Follies until 1951 when she suffered a serious skiing accident which ended her skating career. Soon after, George Burns "discovered" her at the Pasadena Playhouse and asked her to join the cast of the Burns and Allen Show. Judi went on to co-star and star in numerous television shows and films, many of which were memorable such as "Summer Love,""Jack the Giant Killer,""The Night Walker,""Queen of Blood,""Gunsmoke,""Have Gun Will Travel,""Wagon Train,""Bonanza" and "Hawaii Five-O," to name a few. It was on Hotel de Paree where she met a then-young assistant director named Gary Nelson. Not long after, Judi agreed to star on the TV show "Have Gun Will Travel" for free if Gary would be allowed to direct. Once married, her new husband proclaimed that "there would be only one professional in the house," thus slowly supplanting Judi's acting career with his directing career. Judi was an avid photographer and enjoyed yearly trips to a ranch in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming with Gary and their two sons, Garrett and Blue. She also enjoyed a life-long passion for her rose garden and always supported her husband on film and television locations around the world. When not filming, they spent their time cruising on their yacht throughout the Caribbean. Judi is survived by her husband, Gary; and her two sons, Garrett Nelson of Las Vegas and Blue Nelson of Los Angeles; and her sister, Randa DeLorge of LaPine, Ore. Celebration of Judi's life will be private. Donations may be made in Judi's name to St. Joseph Husband of Mary Roman Catholic Church, Las Vegas.
MEREDITH, Judi (Judith Clare Boutin)
Born: 10/13/1936, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
Died: 4/30/2014, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A.
Judi Meredith’s westerns – actress:
The Adventures of Jim Bowie (TV) – 1956 (Esmee Labaillaire)
Wild Heritage – 1958 (Callie Bascomb)
Money, Women and Guns – 1958 (Sally Gunston)
The Restless Gun (TV) – 1958 (Lettie Belknap)
Hotel de Paree (TV) 1959-1960 (Monique Devereaux)
Cimarron City (TV) – 1959 (Martha Fenton)
Tales of Wells Fargo (TV) – 1959 (Terry Tate)
Yancy Derringer (TV) – 1959 (Charlotte Dubois)
Wagon Train (TV) – 1959, 1963, 1964 (Ellen Emerson, Judy Ludlow, Beth Mitchell)
Laramie (TV) – 1960 (Marcie Benson)
Riverboat (TV) – 1960 (Louise Harrison)
The Tall Man (TV) – 1961 (Matti Arnold)
Have Gun – Will Travel (TV) – 1961, 1962, 1963 (Sally, Monica Reagan, Gina August)
Gunsmoke (TV) – 1962 (Lily Baskin)
Bonanza (TV) – 1962, 1967 (Lotty Hawkins, Linda Roberts)
The Raiders – 1963 (Martha ‘Calamity Jane’ Canary
Rawhide (TV) – 1965 (Kate Wentworth)
The Virginian (TV) – 1966 (Ruth)
Death Valley Days (TV) – 1967 (Jenny Davis)
Something Big – 1971 (Carrie Standall)