Judith H. Steck

Judy was born in Philadelphia and grew up in the West Oak Lane neighborhood, the only child of Nell and Albert Dubois, a Philadelphia police officer. From an early age, she had a deep love for music and found joy in playing the piano — an instrument that would become a lifelong companion.

She began college at Penn State in 1955 and soon became a “townie,” living in State College with her mom while her dad was stationed in Bangkok, Thailand. It was at a freshman dance that she met Glenn Rosenberger, a young NROTC meteorology student — and her future husband. She joined Alpha Xi Delta sorority, making friendships that lasted a lifetime. In 1959, Judy graduated with a degree in Education, ready to share her love of learning with others.

After graduation, she moved west to San Diego to begin her teaching career. In 1960, she and Glenn were married in a full Naval ceremony. The Navy life took them to many places — Long Beach, Monterey (twice), Northern Virginia, Pearl Harbor, and Lemoore, California. In 1967, they welcomed their daughter Kristy — Judy’s greatest joy. During one of their postings in Monterey, Judy played piano for the local Unity Church, combining her love of music and community.

In 1975, following her divorce, Judy returned to the Philadelphia area with Kristy. The next year, she married David Steck, and they settled in Radnor. Judy became a devoted member of Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, where she remained active for nearly 50 years and found deep meaning and lasting friendships through Bible study groups and her service on the New Member Council.

In the 1980s, Judy turned her lifelong love of the piano into something more — teaching beginner lessons to local children and hosting joyful recitals in her home. In the early 1990s, after separating from her second husband, she reinvented herself, earning a paralegal certificate from Villanova and working for several law-related firms. Later, she brought her heart and organizational skills to Dolphins of Delaware Valley, a nonprofit that connected volunteers with elderly residents in nursing homes.

Judy and Kristy shared an unbreakable bond. During the 1990s, they spent nearly every fall Saturday together cheering loudly at Penn State football games, reconnecting with her Alpha Xi Delta sisters, and making memories filled with laughter, tradition, and love.

Judy embraced her love of travel. She and Kristy became travel buddies, exploring 24 countries together — returning again and again to her two favorite places: France (seven times) and Australia (twice). For the past 10 years, they spent part of each year in Carmel,

California, at the same house where they had lived in the 1970s. Judy loved sitting out on the deck, book in hand, soaking up the sun, and watching for the resident foxes and bobcats.

In her final years, Judy showed incredible strength and grace in the face of declining health. Even through pain and difficulty, she remained resilient — and she never lost her smile. It’s that smile, warm and genuine, that so many will remember her by.

Judy leaves behind her daughter and best friend, Kristy Rosenberger; cousins Glenn Fries (Carol) and Barbara Krut (Dan); and a wide circle of beloved friends from every chapter of her life — childhood, college, Navy life, work, church, and her neighborhood — all of whom she stayed close to over the years with phone calls, letters, and countless lunches.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 25th at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. Judy will be laid to rest at Philadelphia Memorial Park at a later date.

If you wish to honor her memory, please consider a donation to: CASA Philadelphia – https://casaphiladelphia.org/ Marine Corps Toys for Tots – https://www.toysfortots.org/