Judith Lesner

1942 - 2023

Judith Lesner
December 23, 1942 - August 30, 2023
On August 30th Judith Lesner of Oakland, CA passed away surrounded by family and friends. Born in Brooklyn, in 1942, Judith spent her youth living on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. She was an alumnus of the Bronx High School of Science and Hunter College. She was introduced to the disability community when she worked at Camp Jened (Oscar nominated documentary called "Crip Camp".)
In 1963 she joined the Peace Corps where she served three years in the Philippines. After her service, Judith lived for a while in Vietnam and India and then traveled around the world by land to Israel. It was while giving blood in Haifa Israel, that she met her future husband Walter Buxton.
Judith moved to the Bay Area in 1970 where she worked at an Easter Seal Camp for people with disabilities, the Woman's Abortion Coalition and later at the California School for the Blind for over 25 years. Her greatest joy was her son and his wife. Her parties were legendary for their inclusivity drawing on her friends from every community. Her cheese cake, muffins and latkes filled both stomachs and hearts across the Bay Area.
Judith's biggest desire was to see the disability rights movement working in coalition with other movements for social justice. She had emailed countless lefty activists to ask them why they didn't mention disability in their book or speech at a rally. She often said that every other group under the sun got mentioned except people with disabilities.
Judith is survived by her son Jacob Lesner-Buxton and her sister Joanne Zammit. Donations can be made in her memory to the Independent Living Resource Center in Santa Barbara, the California Association of Parents of the Visually Impaired, Little Learners of the Lighthouse or a non-profit or political candidate of your choice.
Also to honor Judith's memory please vote for candidates who support a woman's right to choose and will support the rights of people with disabilities.