Judy Hand

Judy Hand (nee Duckworth) shed her earthly husk and spread her wings Saturday, January 29th, 2022. She was 76. Born in Philadelphia before moving to Jersey, she graduated from Riverside High, moved to Trenton with her husband, and finally ended up in Delran where she split her time between there and the Jersey shore, and she lived out her days surrounded by family and friends.

She went by many names: Judy to lots, Aunt Judy to some, Mom to a special few, and MomMom to her favorite humans in all the world. But never Judith. Don’t ever call her Judith.

Judy had two great loves in this world – the beach and her family. Even in all her travels to Ireland, Iceland, and Alaska, she was never happier than when she was sitting in a beach chair at Stone Harbor, watching her kids and grandkids playing in the sand.

She raised two stubborn pig-headed sons, and one perfect daughter. When asked why there was a 10&12 year gap between them, she’d tell you there were others but they disrespected her “comfy pillow” and were put in a burlap sack in the river.

She raised her kids on a healthy balance of unwavering support and firm boundaries, with a side of “did it hurt? Well, don’t do it again, stupid ass!!” But her grandbabies were flawless, and no one could tell her otherwise – they could have gotten away with murder and she would have helped them drag the body.

She’d tell you that her mom was an amazing cook and the talent skipped a generation, but yet she’d still manage to feed her family of five and have enough available for any stray kid, school friend or neighbor who’d wander in. No one ever went hungry, she’d see to that.

She’d tell you she’s not artistic, but made a home-sewn stocking for every child and grandchild in our family, as well as Halloween costumes and baby doll clothes.

She attended every sporting event, dance recital, graduation ceremony, science fair,  and school performance for every child and grandchild in the family. When life took the youngest ones to Oregon, she would fly out every year and spend months with them, watching them grow and attending preschool plays. She would drop anything and everything if her family needed her.

Humble to a fault, she would never give herself nearly the credit she deserved, but she was the first to champion and cheer every accomplishment of her children and grandchildren. Her legacy is the love she left behind in the hearts of all who knew her.

She was greeted at The Pearly Gates with open arms by her parents Gladys and Michael Duckworth, her beloved double-first-cousin Babs Thomas (“our mothers are sisters and our fathers are brothers and we don’t look anything alike!”), her brother Michael “Mick” Duckworth, and many friends who made the journey before her.

She will be loved and forever missed by her sons Jim and Tim (“I didn’t give them rhyming names, I named them James and Timothy which doesn’t sound alike at all!!”), her daughter Sarah, her “bonus children” Jen, Darla, and Josh, her most beloved grandchildren Samantha, Charlotte, Jake, Kaitlyn, Mackenzie, Allison and Ashley, her “bonus grandchildren” Michael, Amanda, and Christina, and of course her husband of 56 years, James. Not to mention dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins, countless family friends and classmates who grew up with her as a second mom, and anyone else who had the great pleasure of meeting her.

A Celebration of Life for Judy will be held on Friday, February 4th  from 5-9 PM

at

Sweeney Funeral Home

337 Bridgeboro St

Riverside, NJ 08075

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in Judy’s name to Cape May Zoo.