Judith Wallace Nelson

Judith Wallace Nelson, 79, a 47 year resident of Madison, passed away after a long series of illnesses on February 28th with her family by her side. She was the wife of Richard E. Nelson, recently celebrating their 57th wedding anniversary. Judy was born on September 30, 1936 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the eldest child and only daughter of the late Lonsdale and Dorothy Wallace.

Raised in Forest Hills and Shoreham, New York, she graduated in 1958 from Pembroke College (now Brown University) with a bachelor’s degree in art and literature. Her lifelong artistic interests and talents included amateur works proudly displayed in her and her childrens’ homes, as well as set design work for Nutmeg Players’ productions performed at the Goodspeed Opera House.

In addition to the more than full time task of raising her family of three boys, she worked for the New Haven Orthopedic group for 25 years and was an active volunteer with Madison ABC, the Madison Library and the Madison Garden Club, where she served a term as president. A voracious reader -, she lost count of the number of books she read, but at her peak estimated that it was more than 300 books in a year. She was also a fan of British mysteries of all sorts in all media. During retirement she and Rick were summer residents in Chatham, Massachusetts where she remodeled and decorated her dream house.

In addition to her husband, Judy is survived and will be dearly missed by her son Peter and his wife Debbie of Darien, Connecticut, son Mark of Madison, Connecticut and son Jeffrey and his wife Beth of Strafford, New Hampshire. She was a doting grandmother to her six grandsons, Tim, Scott, Matt, Adam, Jared and Erik, from whom she hid her secret desire for at least one granddaughter. She also leaves behind her two brothers, Richard and Robert, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thurs 3/3 at the Swan Funeral Home of Madison. A Service of Remembrance will be held at the North Madison Congregational Church at 10:00 a.m. on Friday March 4th. Memorial donations in her memory may be made to Madison A Better Chance, PO Box 371, Madison, CT 06443.