Judith Martin

Judy was born in Framingham, Massachusetts on July 31, 1953, to Rhoda and Sidney Reasenberg, both of whom predeceased her. Judy graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a degree in cultural anthropology and received an MBA from the Wharton Business School.

In 1979 she joined Consolidated Rail Corporation (ConRail) where she met her husband, David, the love of her life. After several years, they settled in Stamford where Judy continued a successful career in business. She retired from Pitney Bowes as a Vice President of Marketing.

After that Judy began a second career, pursuing her true passion for children's literacy. She returned to school, graduated from the University of Bridgeport with a Master’s in Education, and began teaching reading to Kindergarten through 3rd Grade students at Northeast Elementary School in Stamford. Teaching reading to children gave Judy joy, so she continued teaching even during her illness. Her last day of work was Monday, November 7th.

Her energy was boundless. In 2008, she and David founded Starfish Connection, a small non-profit in the memories of their mothers, Rhoda Reasenberg and June Martin. The mentoring organization’s mission is to help academically motivated children from disadvantaged families reach their potential and realize their dreams of attending college. The original cohort of "Starfish" have recently submitted their college applications and look forward to matriculating next fall.

Judy was consistently generous, devoting time, talent and resources to numerous civic and political causes. Gun control, women's reproductive rights, and the arts were among her enduring passions. Long passionate and active in the community, she was a member of ‘Reading Partners', helped to resurrect Project Music in Stamford in 2014, and was an active member in Chavurat Aytz Chayim.

But her professional and volunteer commitments paled in comparison to her devotion to family. There is no doubt that her family was her highest priority. She was unequivocally committed to and endlessly supportive of her daughters, Rachel and Sarah Martin. She fostered their unique talents and cherished the time she spent with them. She was acutely aware and grateful of her good fortune in having been married to her best friend for 34 years, Stamford’s Mayor, David Martin.

Finally, no description of Judy would be complete without mentioning her amazing sense of humor, the fact that she never forgot where she came from, and the joy she found in her life-long friends, her frequent and treasured visits to Fenway Park and Cape Cod, and an endless supply of Red Sox memorabilia and bumper stickers.

In addition to David, Rachel, her son-in-law, Ethan Feldman, and Sarah, Judy is also survived by sisters Stella Davis and Deborah Stellini, father-in-law Gene Martin, brother-in-law Kevin Martin, and a very long list of nieces, nephew and life-long friends. She is predeceased by her parents, Rhoda and Sidney Reasenberg, and truly beloved mother-in-law, June Martin.

Funeral services will be held at 1pm on Monday, November 14th at Temple Beth El, 350 Roxbury Road, Stamford, Connecticut. The family will be available to meet with friends at the Temple immediately following the service.

Those wishing to make memorial donations in Judy's memory might consider giving to any of the causes she held dear including the Starfish Connection at 1127 High Ridge Road, #255, Stamford, CT 06905.