Judith Dowe Standish

Preston-Judith Dowe Standish, 70, wife of Basil (Bill) Standish, Jr., of 13 Overlook Drive, passed away Tuesday afternoon, March 6, at the Apple Rehabilitation Center of Mystic with her husband, sister and brother-in-law at her bedside. Judy waged a courageous battle against cancer for nine years, never losing hope, always showing her positive, upbeat personality and sense of humor, caring more for the well-being of the people in her family than for her own situation, and continuing to do the things she loved doing with her family and friends up until mid-January of this year when the disease overpowered her. She will be greatly missed by her husband of forty-five years, all in her family, her many friends, and a countless number of former students she influenced so positively during her long career as a high school teacher and coach.

She was born at home in Palermo, Maine on April 16, 1941, the daughter of Virginia W. Dowe and the late Milton E. Dowe.

She attended elementary schools in Palermo and received her high school education at Erskine Academy in South China, Maine. At Erskine she was a member of the National Honor Society, was vice president of her class in her senior year, earned varsity letters in basketball and softball, and graduated in 1959 as salutatorian of her class. She attended the University of Maine at Orono on the Walker Scholarship and participated in all sports available to women at the university at the time. She was a member of the Women’s Athletic Association throughout her college years and served as president of that organization during her senior year. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in physical education from Maine in 1963 and later, in 1970, earned her Master’s Degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State University.

Judy was a physical education teacher at Ledyard High School for thirty four years, starting her career there when the school opened in September, 1963. As the first teacher of girls’ physical education at the school, she helped to establish and implement curriculum for girls’ physical education. Early in her career she served as cheerleading advisor and as gymnastics coach, and in the mid-seventies she co-founded the girls’ outdoor track team and the girls’ basketball team and was an assistant coach for both teams for more than twenty years. Her chief responsibility in track was in the field events, and her throwers won many conference and state championship titles, and in basketball, junior varsity teams under her leadership compiled a record of 316 wins and 128 losses. In 1995 she was selected for membership in the Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame, and in 1997 the Connecticut High School Coaches Association named her Assistant Basketball Coach of the Year. In addition to her involvement with athletics at Ledyard High School, she also served on the Faculty Council for the National Honor Society for twenty-five years. She retired from Ledyard High School in 1997.

Judy married Basil (Bill) Standish, Jr. on August 14, 1966 at the Branch Mills Union Church in Palermo, Maine.

Along with her interest in athletics as a high school coach and as a player in area basketball and softball leagues (in 1970 she was named MVP of the Norwich Women’s City Basketball League), she was a devoted fan of the UCONN women’s basketball team and attended that team’s games throughout the country. She was an avid reader. She also possessed excellent woodworking skills and designed and built many storage sheds, decks, additions to buildings, pieces of furniture, and crafts types of items. She also enjoyed spending time at her log cabin on Sheepscot Lake in Palermo, Maine, taking many automobile trips with Bill throughout the U.S. and through various parts of Canada and Mexico, going on cruises with her mother, sister, and dear friend Barbara, and going on shopping vacations and to monthly dinners with the Sapphires (Debbie, Ellen and Gail).

In addition to her husband and her mother, she is survived by her sister, Janice Satchell and her husband William of Palermo, ME., her brothers-in-law: Myles (Mike) Standish and his wife Angela of Pensacola, FL, Robert Standish of Norwich, and Raymond Standish and his wife Maureen of Stafford Springs; several cousins; and three generations of nieces and nephews: Jean, William, Emily, and Anne Roseman of Rochester, MA; Catherine Satchell of Portland, ME, Michael Satchell Sr., Lillian Clemmey, and Michael Satchell, Jr. of Worcester; Michael Standish and Sharon Standish of Virginia Beach; and Mark, Alison, Kennedy, Kate, and Matthew Standish of Marietta, GA.

In addition to her father, Judy was pre-deceased by her niece, Laura Satchell.

On Wednesday, March 14th the family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Church and Allen Funeral Home, 136 Sachem St. in Norwich followed by a service to celebrate Judy’s life at 2:30 p.m. Burial will be held after the service at the Preston City Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to LHS-Judith D. Standish Scholarship, Ledyard High School, 24 Gallup Hill Road, Ledyard, CT 06339, Attn: Judith D. Standish Scholarship, or to the American Cancer Society, I-91 Tech Center, 825 Brook St., Rocky Hill, CT 06067. Please visit www.churchandallen.com to leave an online condolence for the Standish family.