Judith White Simmons

Judith W. Simmons, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many passed away at the age of 93 years on September 15, 2024 after a short illness. She was born in Brockton, Massachusetts on April 12, 1931 to Raymond and Morna Gertrude White where she resided throughout her entire childhood.

Judy graduated from Brockton High School and Boston Children’s School of Nursing, and then without hesitation married the love of her life, Philip N. Simmons. She traveled with her husband to North Dakota where she worked for a short time in a small local hospital, and then to Maine where they lived for only a couple of years, and her time there was spent as a full-time mother and homemaker. Phil’s next job took them to Connecticut, and after a short time spent in Norwich, Judy and Phil settled in East Lyme in 1956, where they transformed an old farmhouse into a beautiful and welcoming home and raised their family for the next 52 years.

Judy’s nursing career included working as a pediatric nurse at Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, working with the VNA in East Lyme, as school nurse at East Lyme High School and Connecticut College, and as the office nurse at Gales Ferry Pediatrics. As much as she loved her profession, her greatest love was for her family, and she worked incredibly hard at creating and providing a wonderful life for her husband and children. She became as involved as possible in everything her children took part in, from school activities and scouting groups to church outings, cultural events and the organization of family reunions. She became a gourmet cook, an accomplished gardener, a recreational sailor, a caretaker to numerous pets and farm animals, a surrogate mother to those who needed one, and a friend to many people, locally, nationally and from abroad.

Judy was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme where she served on many of its boards and committees, for which she was honored as a Deacon Emeriti. She and Phil, with their friend Nathalie Fogg, ran a cultural tour, “New England Experience”, under the umbrella of the church which welcomed people from Great Britain to enjoy our region. She was always pleased that their home was forever open to people from other countries and cultures, and they hosted members of groups from as far away as South Africa, France, England, and Asia.

Judy and Phil moved to Essex Meadows in 2008 and she immediately became involved with the Health Committee. During the 16 years she resided at Essex Meadows she helped to start the Drama club which holds annual performances, she started a monthly Reading-to-Connect group which continues to this day, she began a yearly program called Countdown to Christmas which runs during the month of December, and she started, just this past year, a short story reading group for those with vision impairment. Her years at Essex Meadows were filled with friendships and experiences.

Judy was predeceased by her parents, her beloved husband of 62 years, and two grandchildren, Brian David Simmons and Morna Paige Marolda. She is survived by her five children; Dana (Julie) of Summerfield, NC., Jane of Salem, CT., David (Kathy) of Jamestown, RI., Jonathan (Lisa) of Niantic. CT,. and Jeffrey (Tara) of Tisbury, MA. She is also survived by 13 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and Daniel Jones of Texas and Susan Heske of Colorado whom she took into her home and heart and considered her children.

A celebration of her life will be held at 2pm on January 11, 2025, at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Judy’s memory be sent to the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme and be earmarked for the David W. Good Memorial Fund.

Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home, Old Lyme is handling the arrangements.