Judy M. Pierce, 81, of Hawthorn Woods, Ill. and Waterford passed away peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020 in Burlington of Covid 19.
Judy was born Oct. 11, 1939, in Chicago to Meryl Schoeben and Caroline Strauss, who both preceded her in death. She married Robert Pierce who preceded her in death in 2006.
Judy is survived by her children, Jill Campbell of Hawthorn Woods, Ill. and Jon Pierce of Sturtevant; and her grandchildren Bradley Campbell and Cari Mulhall.
Judy was a student, drum majorette, alumni and faculty member as a Teacher of the Preschool Deaf at Illinois State University. She also taught college students in the Deaf Education Program at Illinois State University. From the University, she became a teacher at Downs Elementary School in the Tri-Valley School District for special education students. She then took a position as Supervisor for South Metropolitan Association, managing special education/deaf children and staff throughout the Southwestern Suburbs of Chicago. She taught graduate classes at Governor’s State University. Judy became Assistance Superintendent at the Illinois School for the Deaf and then Acting Superintendent. From that role, she became an Administrator with the Department of Rehabilitation Services for the State of Illinois that supervised the three states schools: The Illinois School for the Deaf, the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired and the Illinois Center for Rehabilitation Roosevelt. She advanced to her next job position as Manager for State Director of Special Education at the Illinois State Board of Education. She took early retirement from the State of Illinois and became Chief Operations Officer at the Center on Deafness and Director of the Illinois Resource Center in Northbrook, Ill. from where she finally retired. She was a lifetime member of the Illinois Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She was a force of energy and pioneer in deaf and special education in the State of Illinois.
Judy’s other activities and hobbies included involvement in Girl Scout troops and leadership positions as a young woman through her adulthood. She made a huge impact in advocating and encouraging girls to become independent, brave, and strong young women. She loved boating and the water and was a lifeguard in her youth for the Chicago Park District. She served on many boards and organizations throughout her life.
Judy loved playing cards, and collected antiques, baskets, dishes and glassware. She had a love for Blue Ridge Pottery and loved her trips to Erwin Tennessee for the annual Blue Ridge Festival. She loved gardening, birds, and animals and became a two times past president of the Burlington Area Garden club and active member of the club and board during her retirement. She was very proud of her gardens at her home in Wisconsin and loved recent trips to the Philadelphia Flower Show, traveling the United States, and almost yearly trips with her “Ladies of the Lake” who have been lifelong friends.
Judy was a kind, fun, loving and giving person who forged friendships wherever she went, often lasting a lifetime whether they were students, teachers, coworkers, girl scouts, girl scout leaders, neighbors, friends, or those who crossed her path. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends and those whose lives she touched.
Abiding by Judy’s wishes, her cremated remains are interred alongside her mother Caroline Wehrwein and godmother Henrietta Banbury at Acacia Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Norridge, Ill. A memorial page is available at Ragobrothersfuneralhome.com. A celebration of life was held for immediate family due to Covid 19 on Dec. 18, 2020.
Donation by check toward a memorial tree planting can be mailed to: The Burlington Area Garden Club c/o Colleen Hueber, 5502 376th Avenue, Burlington, WI 53105. Please add a note: Judy Pierce Memorial.
-
-
-
-
-