Judith "Judy" Rita Duby

Judith “Judy” Rita Duby, loving and beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and aunt, died at the age of 79 on August 3, 2018 in San Juan Capistrano.

Judy Jenks was born in Detroit, Michigan on May 12, 1939 to Herbert Dolphin and Irene Jenks, the first of four children – Gary, Gloria and Nancy. Judy’s maternal grandfather, Antoni Studzinski, came to the US from Toruń, Poland around 1910. He was the first of his family to travel to the US so he could earn money to bring his family over. He wanted to make a better life for himself and his family as there was no opportunity in Poland at that time. He became a home builder in Detroit.

When Antoni made enough money, he went back to Poland to get his wife, Judy’s grandmother, Josephine (Jozefa in Polish), and five children, Teddy, Tony, Anna, Bill, and a year old baby girl who died en route. The journey was difficult and scary. Judy’s uncle Tony used to tell a story about how they could see the water between the planks of the boat on the ride over. When they arrived in America they immigrated through Ellis Island in New York.

Irene Ruth Studzinski (Judy’s mother) was born July 17, 1914, the first child of Antoni and Jozefa Studzinski to be born in Detroit, Michigan. Her younger siblings, Wanda and Phil, were born there as well. Judy and her siblings enjoyed going to Grandma Jozefa (Grandma “K”’s) house for pierogis and crepes they called “pannycakes,” and together they all made a dessert called “kushtiki” at Christmas time. Herb and Irene met when they worked together at Fitzsimons Manufacturing Company and were married in a beautiful Catholic ceremony in 1938.

Judy and her siblings grew up in a small house in Inkster, Michigan. She loved music and was a beautiful pianist and ballet dancer. Her sisters remember how they hated not being able to watch tv for an hour while she practiced the piano! She was an excellent student, and the first to attend college from both sides of her family.

While in high school, Judy was a Majorette and twirled at all the school football and basketball games. She was extremely popular and, in her junior year, she ran for J-Hop Queen and won! After graduating from Roosevelt High School in Deaborn Heights, Michigan in 1957, Judy attended Hillsdale College in Hillsdale, MI for one year, then transferred to Michigan State University for a time. She met some fellow students, and they decided to pile in a car and move to California to pursue the California dream.

While pursuing a BA in Education from Cal State Fullerton, Judy (an exceptionally fast typist) put herself through college working as a secretary at Aeronautics, an aerospace firm located in Tustin. There, Judy met the love of her life, Thomas (“Tom”) Duby, who was an Engineer at Aeronautics. Tom had previously served in the USAF in the Korean War.

Judy and Tom fell in love and got married at St. Norbert’s Catholic Church in Inkster on June 22, 1963. The next year, while working, going to school, and pregnant with Mike, Judy graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1964 with BA in education.

After Michael Duby was born in Garden Grove, CA on March 20, 1964, Judy, Tom and baby Mike moved to South Bend, Indiana so Tom could work on his Masters in Electrical Engineering, which he ultimately completed at Michigan State (MSU). The family then moved to Brighton, Michigan, where Tom worked as an executive at Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Their son, Jeffrey Duby was born on December 5, 1967, their daughter Elizabeth on February 10, 1971, and Gregory Duby on December 29, 1972. When Thomas died suddenly of a heart attack in London at the age of 44 on October 31, 1976, Judy was heartbroken with grief. She and the kids (ages 12, 8, 5 and 3) moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1977 to be near her sister, Nancy, who had just opened her own chiropractic practice 4 months earlier, her husband, Raffael (“Ralph”) Siclare and their 2-year old daughter, Renee.

Judy raised her family in San Juan Capistrano/Dana Point, and when they were grown, she applied for and was accepted to a special teaching program, which was a great honor. Judy graduated in 1997 at age 58, receiving an advanced degree with an emphasis on special education and teaching credentials. Judy taught as a Special Education teacher of 3rd and 4th grade students at Melinda Heights Elementary School in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA for 12 years until she retired at age 70 in 2009. She truly loved the joys and challenges of teaching and working with children with physical challenges and other special needs such as autism.

Judy loved spending time with her children and grandchildren and siblings, celebrating numerous birthdays, holidays, trips to China, Hawaii, New Orleans, Big Bear, Palm Springs and other places. She particularly enjoyed a backpacking trip to Poland, Prague, and Paris with her son, Greg, a trip to New York City with son Jeff, and an Alaskan cruise with her brother, Gary. She passed peacefully, surrounded by family.

Judy was survived by her daughter Elizabeth (now deceased), sons Mike (Atsuko), Jeff (Amber) and Greg (Michelle), her sisters Gloria (Jim) and Nancy (Kelly), brother Gary, her grandchildren Christopher, Brandon, Trevor, Cameron, Jordyn and Kathryn, and great grandson Kyson, nieces Renee (John), Lynzee and Kelly, and nephew Eddie.

A celebration of life service will take place at on October 29, 2025, at 10 am at St. Edward Catholic Church in Dana Point, California. Feel free to wear something bright in memory of a life lived in color.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice. Livestream of the service will be available at https://haelaw.zoom.us/j/88185821875?pwd=SsaBjIICY6kPl4A2U85BuwIBo1Rgqq.1
Meeting ID: 881 8582 1875; Passcode: 970745.

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