Judith Aronow

1926 - 2023

Judith Aronow, age 96, died on January 20, 2023, in San Marcos, Texas. Judith was born in 1926 to parents Rose (Bernstein) and George Zuckerman in Tulsa, Oklahoma after her parents had temporarily relocated from New York. And after a few years, they returned to Brooklyn where Judith was raised amongst many family members who had immigrated from Ukraine and Poland. Judith attended public schools in Brooklyn and graduated school a year early so that she could go to work in a factory, as well as work on a farm in upper State New York during WWII. She later attended City College in Brooklyn where she later met Saul Aronow. They married in February 1948.

Judith and Saul moved to North Dakota so that Saul could work for the USGS and later they moved to Wisconsin for him to complete his PhD; during which time Judith supported them by working as a computer in a university math department. They moved to Beaumont, Texas in 1954 for Saul to begin teaching at Lamar University; they started a family in 1957 and had three children. Judith began working again after a hiatus of about ten years, and briefly worked as a high school teacher, then as a professor of Math at Lamar University in Orange. She retired from Lamar in 1990, later working independently as a consultant. She attended Rice University in pursuit of a PhD in Operations Research while teaching and raising a family. After her husband died, and surviving a few hurricanes in Beaumont, she moved to be closer to her grandchildren in San Marcos and relished her role as a grandparent.

Judith maintained her love of the arts and learning in general with a sense of curiosity throughout her lifetime. She greatly enjoyed meeting new people, finding out their life story, and having an intellectual discussion. She and Saul shared a passion of the arts, music, science, history, and culture, and were often visiting museums, attending symphonies, plays and operas. She was reading voraciously until she died.

Judith loved having new experiences, trying new hobbies, and traveling. Some examples include: taking a few long bicycle trips with a friend in upper state New York after High School, learning how to be a birder in South Texas, hiking all over the US and Central & South America, winning a trip to visit Wimbledon in the 1970's, running, swimming and playing tennis throughout her life, learning Pilates in her late eighties and having a trainer for her workouts in her early nineties.

Judith believed in a life of service in many areas of her life-spiritually, environmentally, and civically. Judith was involved in every spiritual community in which she was a member (she converted to the Episcopal religion in the 1950s from Judaism): participating on boards, providing structured counsel to those in need, taking church members to doctor's appointments and church. Environmentally, she was involved in the formation of the Beaumont chapter of the Sierra Club, serving in leadership roles at the local and state level of the Sierra Club for many decades. Additionally, Judith was in leadership positions with the Big Thicket Association and later participated in the San Marcos River Foundation. She also had a volunteer advisory role with transportation planning in Austin.

Judith was predeceased by her parents, Rose (1995) and George (1974), her sister Helen (1972), her husband Saul Aronow (1998) niece, Claudia Carlson (2016), and daughter Jessica Alexander (2022). She is survived by her son Kurt Aronow (Cathy Proenza-both residing in Eldorado Springs CO); daughter Becca Aronow (Ben Obregon-both residing in Austin, TX); granddaughter, Crystal Obregon (Austin, TX); grandson Arlo Obregon (Austin, TX).

The family would like to thank Latricia Nunez for the excellent care, love, and compassion she and her family showed for Judith for the past 5 years. The family is also grateful to Sage Spring Assisted Living for the supportive living environment that allowed her to continue living a full life and forging some new friendships.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Judith's name to one of the following organizations: Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, Big Thicket Association, or Alzheimer's Association. A Memorial Service will be held at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, 3039 Ranch Rd 12 San Marcos, TX 78666 on Saturday, February 11th, 2023, at 11:00 am.