Judith A. Landers

Judith A. Landers, 67 passed away June 10th, 2007, at home surrounded by family and friends after a courageous five year battle with cancer. Born in 1939 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Judy was the eldest of five children of Marcelline and the late William H. Fudge. Judy graduated from Holt High School in 1957 and Michigan State University in 1961. While at Michigan State Judy was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, was tapped for mortar board and was the president of the Michigan State University College Women?s Association. In 1994 Judy received her Masters of Education and her Principal?s Certificate from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Judy began her teaching career in Ann Arbor, Michigan. After her marriage to Michael in 1963, she taught at the Armed Forces School in Japan where they lived for four years. In 1970, after settling in Rhode Island Judy taught cooking at the Swinburne School in Newport. She also gave ikebana lessons and was a member of Ikebana International for over 35 years. In 1974 Judith authored ?Timothy and the King?s Ship Liberty?, a children?s book about Newport?s role in the American Revolution published by the Rhode Island Bicentennial Foundation. In 1976 she opened Oriental Arts Ltd in the Brick Market in Newport and served for many years on the condominium board of the Brick Market Place. Judy was a charter member of Newport Library?s Chinese Room Committee and a member of the Friends of Egyptology at Brown University. She taught Culinary Arts, Child Development and Social Studies at Bristol Warren Regional High School from 1976 until her retirement in 2001. She traveled extensively throughout her life visiting China, Japan, Hong Kong and Europe. After her retirement, she studied pottery at the Newport Art Museum, tended her garden in Portsmouth and enjoyed spending time with Mike, her family, and numerous nautical friends on their boat, the Star Chaser. She was a gourmet cook who made every holiday gathering memorable and she will be sorely missed by her family and many friends. Judith is survived by her devoted husband of 44 years, Michael. She leaves behind her mother Marcelline Fudge of Lansing, Michigan and her children, Janet Landers of Newport, Frank Rhonda Landers of Portsmouth and Jennifer Ned Connelly of Newport and grand children Nathaniel and Regan Landers of Portsmouth and Win and Julia Connelly of Newport. She also leaves her sister Kathy Clif Twaddle of Houston and brothers William Pat Fudge of Lansing and Roger Jan Fudge and Norman Fudge of Holt, Michigan. There will be a memorial mass at St. Anthony?s in Portsmouth at 10 am, Wednesday, June 13, 2007, with a reception following at Green Valley Country Club on Union St. in Portsmouth. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Judy?s name to the Healing Co-Op, 272 Mitchell?s Lane, Middletown, RI 02842 and the Visiting Nurses of Newport and Bristol Counties, Hospice Program, P.O. Box 690, Portsmouth, RI 02871.