Judith Parenta

Thank you to all the people who have already expressed their sympathies and offered help regarding my mother who passed Thursday September 12th, 2024.

My mother was the baby, the youngest sibling and the youngest cousin. Her aunt Esther didn’t stop calling her “the baby” until she had a baby of her own at 27. Despite being 74 years old (shhh don't tell her I told you) she has been with my father for literally 60 years. No, they weren't married when she was 14, but that's how old she was when they began to date.

Usually, I like to give a whole picture of a person and not just talk about their good sides. My mother, however, would say she only had good sides – “what is there to criticize?” As many people have already mentioned she loved to dance, but there was more she loved. She loved having everything in its place and her home to be spotless. She loved having her outfits perfectly coordinated. She would not leave the house without every item on her body matching, her hair done, and her make-up applied. The specialists at the ALS clinic would marvel at how her, casual going to the doctor’s office for 3 hours, outfit was perfectly harmonized. And she NEVER paid retail. Marshall's was my hell as a child, but it was her art supply store.

She wasn’t just an impeccable dresser, she was impeccable at her job. She was an outstanding salesperson, who other sales people would ask for advice. One time she helped me score an invite to a Mets vs Redsox game at Fenway Park by instructing me to just email the guy I knew who was flaunting his tickets to the game. “Listen, I’ll pick you up at 9am and then we’ll drive us to Boston and we'll stay at my cousin’s house in Brookline.” Turns out that is called presumptive sales.

During this last year the people in her life reminded me how good she was at picking friends. Sure, there have been a couple of duds in the last 7 decades, but mostly gems. People really rallied around her. So many times I heard people say, “I’d do anything for your mother.” You all were so wonderful to her and helped keep her spirits up. Thank you.

A funeral service for Judith will be held Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 3:00 PM at Bernheim-Apter-Kreitzman Suburban Funeral Chapel, 68 Old Short Hills Road, Livingston, NJ 07039.

Contributions in Judith's memory may be made to Healthwell Foundation, www.healthwellfoundation.org; ALS United - Greater NY; www.als-ny.org, and Bridging Voice; www.bridgingvoice.org.