Judith-Beth Raine

Judy-Beth Lizak-Raine, 61 years old of Shelton, CT, beloved wife of 36 years of Randy Raine and caring mother to Keith Lawrence and Miranda Jane (Balrain) passed away peacefully on Sunday July 3rd with her family by her side.

Born in Bridgeport, the first daughter of Peggy Ann Lizak Rose and the late Emery Lizak followed by brother David Lizak and sister Christine Grandfield she was raised in Monroe where she met her first group of lifelong friends, Marcelle Wickson and Tracey Tippett and graduated from Masuk High School class of 1978. She was the first one in the family to attend a four-year college and attended York College where she met her next group of life-long friends, Karen Lewis, Kim McCurdy, Sue Pixley, Sue Weniger, and Ginger Hunter. It was shortly after college that she moved back to CT and eventually found herself on a blind-date with a Navy lad by the name Randy Raine. Randy and Judy-Beth would marry on Valentine’s Day in February 1986. They welcomed their first child Keith Lawrence in August and five years later their family was complete with their second child in Miranda Jane (Balrain).

Judy-Beth had a 30+ year career in accounting with various companies, but her true calling was raising her family. The Raine family grew up in the world of sports from AYSO and Monroe travel soccer to travel and AAU basketball all while being members of their respective school teams at St. Jude, St. Joe’s, and Lauralton Hall. It is in this phase where Judy-Beth met her third group of life-long friends- Rita and Tony Adams, Janis Arena, and Charlene Southard. Judy-Beth loved the busy weekends of her children’s years and remembered all of those practices, tournaments, and most importantly the wonderful people and coaches fondly.

Jude had an infectious personality and you could her laugh from a mile away. In addition to being an active presence in Keith and Miranda’s lives she enjoyed everything that life had to offer her. From daily phone calls with her sister to yearly Knoebels/beach trips with her YCP family, to reminiscing with her Lizak and Sibley cousins to being geographically close to her parents and popping in for dinner Jude was most happy when others around her were having fun. She was so proud of her children and loved supporting them as they began their adult lives. Judy-Beth and Randy were just beginning the next chapter of their lives as true empty nesters enjoying wineries and traveling when unfortunately, a brain tumor diagnosis, impacted that story. Judy-Beth fought her “BT” courageously for six years before ultimately passing to the disease. The family would like to thank the army of people who surrounded the Raine family with love over the past six years, and especially extend their gratitude to cousin Nancy Milan and neighbor Nancy Michaels who helped take care of her daily in the last year of her life.

She is survived by her loving husband Randy; her two children, Keith of Shelton, CT and Miranda and her wife Lyndsey Balrain of New Bedford, MA; mom, Peggy-Ann Rose; sister, Christine Grandfield; brother, David (Jackie) Lizak, god-mother Judy Manoni, step mother Nancy Lizak; step brothers Rod (Denise) Rose, Scott (Maureen) Rose, Donald Jose Hernandez, and Cindy (Brian) Karr, and many wonderful nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and friends. She was predeceased by her father, Emery Lizak, stepfather, Donald Rose, aunt Betty Lizak, father-in-law, Larry Raine, brother-in-law Malcolm Grandfield, and her grandparents.

Her family will receive family and friends on Friday July 8th from 4-7 PM at the Spadaccino and Leo P Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, 315 Monroe Tpke., Monroe, CT.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 am on Saturday July 9th 2022 at St. Jude’s Church in Monroe, with Fr. Skip officiating. Interment will follow at St. John's Cemetery in Monroe.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Judy Beth’s name to a memorial fund set up on gofundme at https://gofund.me/fee6e619.