Judith Ann Wadsworth

Judith Ann (Jude) Wadsworth passed peacefully from this earth with her family at her side on the morning of February 16th, 2026. She is deeply missed by her family and friends who were ever so lucky to have her in their lives.

Jude was born in Gary, Indiana on November 3rd, 1941, to her parents, Sophie and Dan Milevich. She split her time growing up there, and in Yardley, Pennsylvania surrounded by extended family who adored her. After graduating from high school, she attended Syracuse University in the School of Art where she studied Interior Decorating, and was a member of the Gamma Phi Beta sorority, and met the love of her life, William Wadsworth.

After falling madly in love and eloping, she and Bill settled down and raised their children in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Clifton Park, New York, Jude was an amazing mother and homemaker. Following Bill’s retirement, they spent over two decades living in Lititz, Pennsylvania, as well as many sunny winters snow-birding on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and Marco Island, Florida where she made many happy memories with family and dear friends. She spent the most recent years of her life in McKinney, Texas with her immediate family.

There aren’t enough words to describe how amazing Judy was. She was loving, side-splittingly funny, creative, a talented artist, super stylish, thoughtful, silly, and truly the best. She was anything and everything you could wish for as the matriarch of a family. She gave the biggest and best hugs and was always down for a giggle. She knew that dogs were really a woman’s best friend and that there was never a bad time to have a sweet treat. She was a big fan of winning at card games, enjoying a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, with a good red wine, and playing a round of golf on a beautiful day. She preferred her steaks mooing and her chocolate chip cookies on the crispier side. She loved walks on the beach with her family and dogs, Christmastime, reading books, trying new recipes, shopping, decorating her home to the nines, gardening, and most of all: spending time with the people she loved.

To know Jude was to love her, and she made friends everywhere she went. She invited everyone into her home, where they felt welcomed and safe, for pizza nights, holidays and even on her vacations with her family. She had a keen ability to relate to another’s situation with empathy and understanding. In addition to being a wonderful person just by being her lovely self, she also used her talents for jewelry, floral and landscaping design.

Jude was preceded in death by her parents and is survived by her husband of almost 65 years, Bill, her brother, Dan, her daughters, Pamela and Jennifer, her grandchildren, Montana, Lily, and Grayson, and extended family throughout the country.

A celebration of Jude’s life will be scheduled at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in her name can be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA.

https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org