JUDITH LEONARD

LEONARD--Judith. Judith Swatland Leonard, age 92, passed away peacefully at home in Dutchess County this past Sunday, July 9, 2023, just hours before she and her husband Edwin Deane Leonard were to share their 69th wedding anniversary. Daughter of Donald Clinton Swatland and Muriel Bacheller Swatland, Judith (Judy, Mom, Grammy, Mimi) is survived by her loving husband, Deane, her brother, Thomas York Swatland, her four children - Garrick Hillman Leonard, Susanna Leonard Hill, Rebecca Q. Leonard McCauley, and Ethan York Leonard - and their spouses, thirteen grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Born in Newark, New Jersey, on August 13, 1930, Judy graduated from Prospect Hill High School in 1947 and Wellesley College in 1951. She then attended Harvard Law School as part of the second class to admit women. At Harvard, she met Deane, and they were married after her graduation in 1954. In 1958, Judy joined the Trust and Estates department at Shearman & Sterling and remained with the firm for her entire career until she retired in 1998. A true humanitarian, Judy also spent many years as a Trustee of Collegiate School, as legal advisor, fundraiser, and President of the Girls Club of New York, and as a member of the board of directors of CAB (later BronxWorks). Throughout her life, she remained a proud alumna of Wellesley, representing her class and serving as a fundraiser well into her 80s. Judy and Deane were rarely apart during their marriage. Together, they raised their four children and enjoyed playing bridge, traveling, camping, hiking, horseback riding, eating ice cream, and spending time with their ever-growing family. Devoted wife, loving mother, and dedicated advocate with a determination second to none, Judy had one of the kindest hearts and sweetest dispositions imaginable. Deeply caring and generous beyond measure, she had a lovely smile for everyone and always thought of others before herself. She was an exceptional lady, and we are blessed to have had her in our lives. She was a gift to us all. A memorial will be planned for a later date. In lieu of flowers, please direct any gifts to BronxWorks in honor of Judy's support of the organization and its mission. (bronxworks.org/donate - Designation - In Memory of Judy Leonard)