Judith Spencer

Judith Leahey Spencer 1940 - 2011 STOCKBRIDGE Friday, Nov. 11, was a typical day for Judy: a busy one reading The Eagle, doing Sudoku, taking a walk, calling her granddaughter at 11:11 am, watching Charlie Rose, pulling up plants, painting four shelves, picking the pictures for the family 2012 calendar, going to a granddaughter's soccer game in Chicopee. Not quite running the Dartmouth College Marathon in 1978 less than a year after heart surgery, but still busy. Less than four hours later, a stroke caused her death. Born Aug. 28, 1940, in Westfield to the late William and Marie Leahey, Judy grew up in Pittsfield on Victory Hill and graduated from Pittsfield High School, Class of 1958. In 1962, she graduated with a degree in education from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, formerly North Adams State College. Later, she received a Masters in Administration from Antioch College. Judy's work life was filled with jobs in the non-profit world. Judy taught from 1962-1965 at the former Stockbridge Plain School and Williams High School, where she met her husband, Jack Spencer, also a teacher. In 1972, Judy and her good friend Carolyn Sawyer opened the Sunshine Nursery School in Stockbridge. From 1980-1994, she was the Activities Director at Austen Riggs Clinic, and then worked for the Berkshire Garden Center, Lenox Library, and Landmark Volunteers. After that, Judy worked closely with the late Ed Jaffe as the first Executive Director of Berkshire South Regional Community Center. Very active on local boards, Judy served as trustee of Laurel Hill, Stockbridge Library, and Berkshire South, first president of The Stockbridge Land Trust, member of the Conservation Committee, and for 19 years, board president of The Coolidge Hill Foundation. Her crowning achievement was as head and principle motivating force in the creation of the Area of Critical Environmental Concern: Kampoosa Bog. Judy loved the land. Judy is survived by her husband of 46 years, Jack Spencer; two daughters, Kathy (Fred) Erickson of Richmond and Ann Marie (Scott) Miller of Pittsfield; Fred Wigge a student from Sweden who became part of the family; four perfect grandchildren, Eric, Kristen and Amanda Miller and Emily Erickson; two siblings, Patricia (Buzz) Hanley of Lee and Michael (Sally) Leahey of Portland, Maine; two sisters-in-law, Judy Burbank of Pittsfield and Cyndie Spencer (Denny Lund) of Madison, Wisc.; and many nieces and nephews, Chip and Mike Hanley, Tom Leahey, Kimberly Petricca, Spencer and Mark Burbank, Andrew, Paul and Julia Lund, and five grandnieces and nephews. MEMORIAL NOTICE: A Ceremony of Celebration will be held Saturday, November 19th at 1 pm at Stockbridge Town Offices, formerly the Stockbridge Plain School and Williams High School, 50 Main St, Stockbridge, MA. The family will receive friends Wednesday, November 16th from 3 - 7 p.m. at FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME in Great Barrington. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Judy's name to Berkshire South Regional Community Center or The Stockbridge Library through FINNERTY & STEVENS FUNERAL HOME, 426 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230. Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family: www.finnertyandstevens.com