Judith Ella Panzitta

Judith Ella Panzitta (Lake) of Winter Park, Florida passed away on Monday, January 14. She is survived by her loving husband Jim; daughter and son-in-law Teri and Ernie Blevins; son and daughter-in-law Michael and Maggie; and sister Barbara Higgins.

Judy was born on September 6, 1940 in Horsham, Pennsylvania to George and Ella Lake. She moved to Marietta, Georgia, graduating from Sprayberry High School. She and her family moved to Orlando in 1958 where she attended the University of Florida. Judy began working as an executive secretary at Martin Marietta where she met Jim, and they were married on April 28, 1962. After raising her two children, she went back to work as an executive assistant at UCF.

Judy was naturally creative and had a forward fashion sense. She exercised her talent though needlepoint, sewing clothes for family and friends, producing and teaching ceramics, and gardening at home and as a volunteer at Harry P. Leu Gardens. She was an avid foodie before it was popular, experimenting with new recipes, cooking and baking for family, friends, and bake sales benefitting her favorite charities. She enjoyed serving in fraternal and philanthropic organizations, including Job’s Daughters, Bahia Shrine and the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, Daughters of the Nile, the Sorosis of Orlando Women’s Club, and the Elks Lodge.

Travel was another of Judy’s passions, whether visiting family, seeing new places and cultures, or to participate in fraternal or charitable events across the country. She traveled twice across the continental United States, visited both coasts of Canada, traveled to Australia and New Zealand, drove across Sweden and Denmark, cruised to Alaska and the Caribbean, and celebrated New Years in Mexico. She enjoyed visiting her family in far flung places like Alabama, New York, Santa Barbara, Salt Lake City, New Jersey, Seattle, San Diego, Atlanta, Missouri, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Beaches have held a special place in her heart, especially those of Florida’s Gulf coast.

A celebration of Judy’s life will be held at Baldwin Fairchild Funeral Home (7520 Aloma Ave, Winter Park FL 32792) on Saturday, January 19 at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Judith’s memory may be made to the Bahia Shriners Hospital Patient Transportation Fund at https://www.bahiashrine.org/ways-to-help/patient-transportation-fund or Bahia Shrine Transportation Fund, P.O. Box 608439, Orlando, FL 32860.