Valentine Judge

Valentine Judge died peacefully surrounded by family on May 16, 2024 at Hospice of the Fisher Home in Amherst, Massachusetts. She waited until Spring was in full bloom before she took her exit to go and find Chloe.

Valentine Amy Ledger was born on August 15, 1950 in Boston to parents Winifred Hemenway and John Philip Ledger. She was the oldest of four girls and shared a birthday with her mother. She was in charge right from the start, a force of nature, and that never let up.

She grew up in Sudbury, Massachusetts surrounded by music and art. She was known for her red Honda 50 motorcycle and adventurous spirit. When she was 16, she traveled throughout Europe with a friend. After graduating from college, she began work at radio station WCRB in Boston where she met her future husband, Tony Judge. Valentine, Tony, and her daughter from a previous marriage, Vanessa, moved from Boston to Chicago. In Chicago, Valentine was the Manager of Advertising for the Chicago Cubs, and later an Assistant Commissioner for the Department of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago. She spent many years bringing art exhibitions around the world in partnership with the State Department. It was hard to name a place she had not visited.

She loved beautiful things, stone walls, french braids. She loved a good joke. She loved a well-cut suit on a man. She loved Cape Cod. She loved the sun. She loved fried clams but did not like bellies. She loved onion rings. Chocolate chip ice cream. She loved a marshmallow sundae. She hated eggs and whipped cream. She loved opera and The Talking Heads. Italian Vogue. She loved an event and was a fantastic hostess.

She loved her children.

She is predeceased by her daughter Chloe Judge. She is survived by her children Vanessa Regan, Phoebe Valentine Judge (Sara), Quentin Judge (Cayce), grandchildren Madeline Valentine Judge, Rhodes Judge and June Judge, sisters Phoebe Legere, Jane Jackson, Alison Fraser, her aunt Joyce Brown, cousins Elesse Brown and Anne Hemenway, and many loving nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on May 31st, 2024 at 11AM at The Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of the Fisher Home, 1165 North Pleasant Street Amherst, MA 01002.