Judith A. Stearns

1935 - 2022

The Stearns family is deeply saddened to announce the death of Judith Ann (Phinney) Stearns, 87, on June 27, 2022. Judy was born in Winchester, MA on June 7, 1935, the eldest child of Warren Wright Phinney and Gladys (Dagnino) Phinney. After the war, the family moved to West Hartford, CT where Judy attended middle and high school and first met her future husband, John H. Stearns, Jr. Graduating from Middlebury College in 1956, Judy and John married in 1957 and raised their three sons in Glastonbury, CT. Always fit and active, Judy was willing to be one of the boys whether climbing the mountains of New Hampshire, paddling the lakes of Maine or skiing the back country trails of Vermont. Judy especially cherished her memories of spending time at their beloved lakeside camp in Maine that has been in the family for generations. She also treasured her time in Vermont, where together with John and his brother David, they lovingly restored a historic farmhouse which has continued to be a special family gathering place for fifty years. She loved being a grandmother and supported her five grandchildren through the many stages of their lives from playing and reading, to catching frogs and swimming, cheerleading at youth sports games, and on to graduations and marriage. Judy touched hundreds of lives. She taught kindergarten for 20 years and was active in politics serving four terms on the Glastonbury Town Council. She was the first woman chair of the Greater Hartford YMCA and traveled the world from Siberia to Israel to the Dominican Republic creating connections and expanding the work of the Y. Judy was also a tireless supporter and volunteer with Trinity Academy, YMCA Camp Jewell, Easter Seals, Read to Succeed, FISH, Meals on Wheels and the Catamount Trail Association. Judy was admired as a trail blazer and a warrior who forged connections with people and helped build communities wherever she went. She will also be remembered as a woman who embraced life to the fullest, with enthusiasm and joy. She wrote poetry, played the piano, sang in the Glastonbury Chorus and loved the Hartford Symphony as much as the Hartford Whalers and UConn basketball. Following John's death in 2009 Judy took pride in managing the family home and living independently before moving to the Seabury retirement community in 2019 where she made many new friends and continued her volunteer work. Judy was thoughtful, kind and sharp up to her last moments. She leaves an enduring legacy as a strong woman, an influential leader, a loving wife, mother and grandmother. She leaves her sister Deborah Wylie of Cheshire CT; her sons Jay Stearns and his wife Jen of Colchester, VT, Bob Stearns of Granby, CT and Jim Stearns of San Francisco, CA; five grandchildren, Chris Stearns and his wife Rachael, Neve Stearns, Liad Stearns, Emma Stearns and Myles Stearns; her brother-in-law Jim Standish and his wife Pat of Avon, CT and sister-in-law Janice Standish of Woodstock, VT. A celebration of Judy's life will be held at 4:30 pm, Thursday July 28 at the Glastonbury Boathouse, 252 Welles St., Glastonbury, CT. Donations in memory of Judy Stearns can be made to Trinity Academy, 120 Sigourney Street Hartford, CT 06105, or online at www.trinityday.org/giving-opportunities