Judith "Judy" M. Cadel

Judith "Judy" Maxine Cadel, 93, of Newton, Massachusetts, passed away on November 5, 2026. She was a devoted mother, proud grandmother, tireless volunteer, and dear friend.

Born on February 9, 1933, at the very bottom of the Great Depression, Judy was the younger of two children. She grew up in the Bronx and then in Union City, New Jersey, where her parents, Florence and Albert, ran a neighborhood grocery store. A bright child who excelled in school, she earned her teaching credentials at New Jersey State Teachers College and later a master’s degree in Special Education from Tufts University.

At 17, she met the love of her life at a JCC social event, when the dashing young Arthur Cadel asked her to dance. They married in 1954 and went on to have four children: Ellery in 1956, then Jeffrey, Renée, and Bryan in 1961.

A career opportunity for Art soon brought the family to New England, and they settled in Newton, where they raised their children and lived busy lives. Both worked as special education teachers. Judy eventually became an administrator in the Massachusetts Department of Education, where she developed and ran innovative programs for children with special needs.

Art passed away in 2004, one month short of their fiftieth anniversary, and Judy carried his memory with her for twenty-two years since. Six months ago, she lost her youngest son, Bryan. No parent should have to bear that, and Judy bore it as she bore everything: with strength, and with her family close around her.

In retirement, Judy dedicated her talents to helping people in need. She assisted with patient admissions at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and, characteristically, became a formidable force at WGBH’s community assistance program “Call for Action.” To this day, there are dress-shrinking dry cleaners, incompetent mechanics, and delinquent contractors who tremble at the thought of Judy calling on behalf of a wronged customer. She applied the same skills to her own life: she successfully returned a beautiful leather sofa whose blue wasn’t quite as advertised, her many toils with Instacart and Amazon where maybe the product was close but not exactly what she was promised, and, most famously, a brand-new Toyota Corolla that required one repair too many was swapped for a newer one.

She was also an election worker at the local polls and later became the election warden. She treasured her friends and family and enjoyed her regular Mahjong games with close friends. She was an enthusiastic grandmother to Michelle, Sam, Eileen, and Melissa, and she would have loved meeting her first great-grandchild, due this December.

Judy loved good food, so long as it came with her beloved Heinz ketchup. In Judy’s world, no fine French restaurant could earn a Michelin star without a bottle of Heinz next to the foie gras.

We will also remember her love of technology. At 93, she brandished the latest iPhone Pro, plus her iPad, MacBook, and Apple Watch, and in recent years she and ChatGPT had become great friends. She used it to make funny images of friends and relatives, birthday cards, and holiday greetings, or just to pass the time. She learned to write effective prompts and recently began running informal sessions for friends who wanted to learn.

Judy is survived by her older sister, Isabelle; her children Ellery and his wife Kyle, Jeffrey and his wife Susan, and Renée and her husband Ken; and her grandchildren Michelle (Erika), Sam, Eileen (David), and Melissa (Nick). She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Arthur and her youngest son, Bryan. Her family will welcome her first great-grandchild in December.

Judy brightened many lives, and we will forever miss her jokes, her thoughtful help, and her witty sarcasm. We were lucky to have her.

Services will be held at Levine Chapels, 470 Harvard Street, Brookline, on Sunday, November 8, 2026, at 10:00 AM. Interment to follow immediately afterward at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon.

The family will receive guests at Judy's late residence, following the services on Sunday, from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in her honor to Newton Wellesley Hospital at https://giving.nwh.org