Obituary for Judith Berrian Brush (Hill)
Judith Berrian Hill Brush, beloved wife of 63 years to the recently passed Donald Kennedy Brush, died May 15, 2019, at the age of 81, at Duncaster Retirement Community in Bloomfield, CT. Born October 12, 1937 to the late Edward A. Hill and Isabel Teeter Hill, Judy spent her childhood between Manhattan, NY and Norfolk, CT. She was a graduate of Miss Porters School, Class of ‘55 and the summer before her senior year became smitten with Don while he was teaching her to waterski on Lake Waramaug. They married on June 24, 1955. They resided in Manhattan, Hingham, Massachusetts and finally made their home in Ridgefield, CT. where Judy volunteered at the Ridgefield Thrift Shop for over 20 years. After Don retired, they settled on Doolittle Lake in Norfolk, CT. Judy was very athletic winning quite a few awards in tennis, paddle tennis, and golf. Later in life, she and Don took up hiking in Tennessee and Maine as well as the woods in Doolittle. Judy loved reading, traveling, opera, birding, and construction projects with Don along with collecting shells in Florida where they wintered for 10 years before moving year-round to Doolittle Lake. Although shy, Judy had a wonderful sense of humor which included laughing at herself. To her three daughters, the following says it all:
She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if we were late,
In winter by the window,
In summer by the gate.
She always leaned to watch us,
Whether acting in a play,
Or playing in a sport,
Supportive was her way
And though we mocked her tenderly,
What comfort that she cared,
She never left her seat,
We always knew she’s there
Until we all come home to her,
In her seat, we know she’ll wait,
Watching from Heaven’s window,
Leaning from Heaven’s gate.
Judy is survived by her three daughters, Laurie Matson and her husband Michael of Brookfield, CT, Lise Read and her husband Marshal of New Fairfield, CT and Carrie O’Connor and her husband John of Loudonville, NY; her 7 grandchildren, Kyle and Kate Matson, Ben Read, John (Carlene), Ryan, Annabel and Andrew O’Connor; her sister Louise Davis and her husband David and a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Lucretia Riker.
There are no calling hours and services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please visit Judy’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneralhome.com
She always leaned to watch for us,
Anxious if we were late,
In winter by the window,
In summer by the gate.
She always leaned to watch us,
Whether acting in a play,
Or playing in a sport,
Supportive was her way
And though we mocked her tenderly,
What comfort that she cared,
She never left her seat,
We always knew she’s there
Until we all come home to her,
In her seat, we know she’ll wait,
Watching from Heaven’s window,
Leaning from Heaven’s gate.
Judy is survived by her three daughters, Laurie Matson and her husband Michael of Brookfield, CT, Lise Read and her husband Marshal of New Fairfield, CT and Carrie O’Connor and her husband John of Loudonville, NY; her 7 grandchildren, Kyle and Kate Matson, Ben Read, John (Carlene), Ryan, Annabel and Andrew O’Connor; her sister Louise Davis and her husband David and a number of nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Lucretia Riker.
There are no calling hours and services will be private. Memorial donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Please visit Judy’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneralhome.com