Judith MORAN

MORAN, Judith "Judy" (Flagg) With her two sons and beloved granddaughter by her side, Judith Moran passed away peacefully, on December 29, at Avita of Newburyport, Massachusetts. Judy was born on June 2, 1941, in Haverhill to mother, Elsie (Daniels) Flagg and father, Godfrey Flagg and graduated from Haverhill High School in 1959. Judy was the first of her family to attend college, graduating Sigma Cum Laude from the University of New Hampshire in 1963.

Judy married fellow UNH alumni, Geoffrey Moran (deceased) and with their first son, Matthew, spent the next few years in Amherst, earning her master's degree in Education. The family moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where their second son, Sean was born in 1969 and then to Newburyport in 1970. After filing for divorce in 1973, Judy began life anew as a single, working mother of two. Judy co-chaired the Math Department at Northern Essex Community College, but always found time for sharing her warmth with friends and family at her home, the Grog or at the beach. Judy's untiring work ethic and intellectual curiosity led her back to Amherst in 1981, to pursue a Doctorate in Mathematics at UMass. Judy was busy teaching, while pursuing her degree but enjoyed spending time with friends on hikes, at the Lord Jeff or enjoying cultural events in the Pioneer Valley. Receiving her Doctorate in 1990, Judy furthered her career as a professor at Trinity College in Hartford, helping set quantitative literacy standards and developing engaging curriculum for her students. She combined her love of art and mathematics with a unique study of the pattern in floor tiling of cathedrals in Europe and received a fellowship to teach in Rome in 2005.

Throughout these chapters, Judy found time to share her love of travel with friends or family to Europe, Central and South America, as well as National Parks. Judy's warmth, curiosity and passion for adventure made her a cherished traveling companion and she hosted many friends and family while in Rome. Despite her cosmopolitan interests, Judy was happiest sharing simple times with friends and family by her flower garden in Amherst. To best remember those times, a celebration of Judy's life will take place in Amherst, at a time and place to be announced, around Memorial Day.

Judy is survived by her sons, Matthew and Sean, who are eternally grateful for their successful lives in Boston and Montana, as provided by Judy's unwavering commitment and her instilled values of kindness, tenacity and the pursuit of knowledge. Judy's legacy is exemplified by her granddaughter, Merrimac Rose, who graduated from UNH and attended the same sorority some 50 years later. Merrimac is also furthering her education (while working full time) by graduating from George Washington University with a Master of Arts this May, as inspired by her grandmother's example.