Judith "Judy" Marjorie Job

Judy Job, daughter of Lenore Peters Job and niece of Anita Peters Wright, inherited the standards and commitment of her family. She began dancing at the age of three, performing with her mother at many concerts and exhibitions. As a teenager she appeared at the 1939 Treasure Island World's Fair with the Peters Wright Company. Judy performed in her mother's works on Dance Council programs and later continued the tradition of choreographing thematic dances, often with a social message.

Judy attended Lowell H.S. and UC Berkeley where she joined the dance club Orchesis under the direction of Caryl Cuddeback. Her studies included master classes with Bonnie Bird, May O'Donnell and Jose Limon when they were guests at UC Berkeley, She worked with Sophie Maslow, Pearl Primus and Anna Sokolow during a year's study in New York City. in 1946. Sokolow took particular interest in her and helped her evolve the choreography for the solo," Guernica "(1947).

In the '50s, Judy collaborated with Gloria Unti, performing at the hungry i and the Old Spaghetti Factory, in North Beach, doing satiric sketches such as "Peony Bush, "Crazy Man Crazy" and "Love and Marriage."

Family matters called her from full time work at Peters Wright, but she implemented its methods and principles while holding jobs in the SF Public Schools, and as Supervisor of Dance and Music for the Oakland Parks and Recreation Department. In these intervening years she began the study of Tai Chi, of which she was eventually to become a master.

Judy resumed direction of Peters Wright Creative Dance upon Lenore's death in 1985. Peters Wright continued under her direction until, in 2008, one hundred after its founding, Judy decided to close the school. She continued, however, teaching Tai Chi, her final class being held only days before she died.

In 1999, Judy was awarded an "Izzie," the Isadora Duncan Award, for Lifetime Achievement. In 2000 she performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov and the White Oak Dance Project at Zellerbach Theater on the UC Berkeley campus. Her oral history was published in 2008 as a Legacy Project by the San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, now the Museum of Performance and Design.

She is survived by two sons (a daughter pre-deceased her), three grandchildren, three step-grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and three step-great grandchildren. She is remembered for her contagious optimism, joy for life and laughter. She remains an inspiring example of commitment, discipline and resilience.

A celebration of the life of Judy Job is planned for later this year. Announcements of the event are forthcoming.