Judy Mae Vandermark

Vandermark - Judy Mae, 73, passed away in the early morning of Wednesday, 5 October 2022 at the Aria rehabilitation facility in Brookfield, Wisconsin of natural causes. She is survived by her son Chad Vandermark and his wife Shannon of Waukesha, Wisconsin. She also leaves behind many dear lifelong friends including Christina Bickel, Gabriel Boscana, Patricia Darsie, Brennan W. Duty, Barbara Ganzel, Michael Koplinka-Loehr, Nancy F. Law, Wendy Lutz, Lou Ann Reckdenwald, Joseph Rorick, Naomi Strichartz, and Minister Gligor Tashkovich (who served as her primary health care proxy for nearly six months).

Judy (she always disliked being called Judith) was the youngest of three children of Preston Hackley and Emmaline Ford. She was predeceased in 2004 by her life partner Antoinette "Toni" D. McBride who created and directed the Cornell University Wellness Program starting in 1988. She was also predeceased by her former husband Donald Michael Vandermark and her brother Donald Hackley. Her brother Leon of California survives her.

She loved dancing, softball (she was a pitcher), watching a variety of live sports, working with and discussing local and national Democratic politics, and was thoroughly committed to public service. Judy was always interested in improving human rights and encouraging people to participate in our system of government through voting, writing, or speaking to their elected representatives about their life experiences and voicing matters that were important to them -- especially if they were a member of a marginalized community.

Judy was born in Ithaca, New York in 1949 and graduated from Ithaca High School in 1967 starting a remarkable trailblazing career for someone of humble means. She is believed to have started her early career at Ithaca College working in the Departments of Physics and Residence Life. She then earned an opportunity to work for Bill Paleen, the long-serving Director of Residence Life at Cornell University. In the early 1980s, she became the Executive Assistant to the much-beloved Dean of Students Dr. David Drinkwater.

From there, she moved up to become the Program Manager responsible for rolling out a new telephone system (System 85 from AT&T) to every residence hall room and office desktop across the university. Off-campus friends with interests at Cornell would joke with her about inserting their names in the then-printed university telephone book for which she was also responsible.

This led to a promotion to the Directorship of Cornell Conference Services at what is now called the Robert Purcell Community Center where she put on large-scale events across campus for years. At the urging of alumnus Gligor Tashkovich A&S '87, JGSM '91, she ran and won the support of Cornell University employees across the Ithaca and New York City campuses and was elected to the Cornell University Board of Trustees in the early 1990s as only the fourth African-American woman to hold one of those 64 seats in the history of the university (founded in 1865).

While at Cornell, she was an active member of numerous campus committees including the presidential Advisory Committee on the Status of Women (ACSW) and the West Campus Community Committee.

Others will remember her entrepreneurial endeavors that later revitalized the neighboring town of Danby in the years that followed with the creation of the Danby General Store and a seasonal Ice Cream Shop called Country Scoop -- creating in essence a gathering place for the community and a popular job training opportunity for local youth. She became President of the Danby Community Council and began a baby-sitting program for rural underserved teens. Judy and Toni helped community residents who were ill and couldn't come to their store by delivering groceries and shoveling their walkways in the winter months. Judy was recognized as a positive force in Danby for many years.

Judy then worked for a year as a Parent Liaison at the Doswell E. Brooks Elementary School in Capitol Heights, Maryland where she was remembered by a co-worker as a loving, caring woman who worked hard to make sure the children received all that they needed to be successful in school. Judy's job was to find resources for families who needed assistance. Judy led a "write a book" program where students wrote original stories that were then printed as hard-covered books. Judy helped to edit and type the stories and then she would make the children feel good by buying a copy of their book. She held a winter coat drive that winter for families who needed coats and gloves (many donated by a company she solicited) and a food drive for Thanksgiving.

Judy finally moved to Milwaukee to be closer to her son and daughter-in-law and the children to whom they were providing a foster home. Sadly, Judy struggled with a myriad of ailments and health issues for the last decade of her life but she determinedly kept a stiff upper lip and never liked to draw attention to herself. If you asked her how she was and she wasn't feeling well she either wouldn't answer the question or would respond with "Next question." Judy was a capable, feisty, and strong woman with an infectious laugh. She was also fiercely proud which sometimes got in the way of her allowing herself to be helped by others.

Her friends remember her fondly:

"Judy's laugh filled you with joy and her life was a study in graciousness."

"We were friends for over thirty years. We had a lot of great adventures together and many laughs. She was a blessing in my life in so many ways. I will miss her."

"Her smile and incredible laugh belied the hurt that was always a part of her. I give her credit for all that she was able to accomplish in the face of all this. She was a determined, smart, and strong woman who made a tremendous positive impact during her years at Cornell University."

"I always enjoyed our conversations as she always had a story to tell. She loved to share her life experiences. She was a good listener herself and always had a bit of advice to share. She will be greatly missed here but Heaven will be blessed."

"For all of us who knew Judy, she was a wonderful colleague and friend."

"She was truly the highlight of my day when I was able to sit down with her."

"Judy shined like the sun, loved with passion, and left an eternal imprint on my heart."

"She was someone I truly emulated to be. We have honestly lost a trailblazer, an advocate, and a one-of-a-kind human being. She was one of the strongest women with whom I had the joy and privilege to know and work."

"Judy was intrepid, deeply caring, and a force of nature although sometimes, unfortunately, at the expense of her own health. I consider myself lucky to have worked with her on the Learning Web Board and knew her as an impeccably dedicated human being for so many people at the margins of our society. She will be deeply missed. May her memory be a blessing for future generations."

"I'll miss hearing you laugh and telling stories each week. Please use your organizing and people skills in Heaven to help improve Society for those of us left behind on Earth."

Family and close friends wish to thank her neighbors Sue, April, and Jon Barry for going above-and-beyond in supporting Judy and her pets for a good decade.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to any of The Learning Web (https://learning-web.org/how-to-help/), Shriners Hospitals for Children (https://donate.lovetotherescue.org/give/119312/#!/donation/checkout), the Danby Volunteer Fire Department (https://danbyfiredept.org/contact)