Judith Baker

Judy Baker was 99 years old when she died on February 11, 2024. Although her last residence was in Lakewood, Colorado, Judy was originally from New York City. She was born on January 11, 1925 to Moses Rosenblum (from Poland) and Sophia Sandler (from Ukraine). Growing up during the depression as a first generation American in a jewish New York City immigrant community formed the building blocks of Judy’s identity. Moses was a highly educated man who longed to be a professor but worked in the garment industry co-owning a factory. Sophia was a union maid working in a sweatshop as a seamstress. Both her parents were socialists and social justice was woven into the fabric of their lives. Judy was an only child and the darling of her father’s eye and the hope of her mother’s heart.

Education was valued by her family and Judy excelled at school. She went to New York Public school in overcrowded conditions. Later on she would tell stories of sitting two to a seat in a classroom of fifty students. The depression influenced Judy’s life in other ways too. Her parents took in boarders and Judy slept on the couch. Often the only place she could find privacy was the bathroom. It became a lifelong habit to disappear into the bathroom with a book. Reading was an absolute must in Judy’s life.

Art and culture were also valued. As a child, Judy grudgingly took piano lessons and happily took acting lessons. The love of theater, dance and music became lifelong passions. What better place to indulge the love of the arts than New York City? While in college Judy worked as an usher in a broadway theater. In this manner she could watch performances and also do course work. Judy also loved to dance. She would go up to Harlem and dance the night away doing the Lindy Hop at the Savoy or down to the village to listen to cool Jazz.

World events always shape who we are. Along with the depression the Second World War had a major impact on Judy’s life. She remembered being in highschool knitting when news of Pearl Harbor was announced. As many of her classmates went off to war, Judy entered Hunter College where she earned her Bachelor's degree.

It was during this time that her beloved father died of a stroke. Judy continued to live at home with her mother. Her mother encouraged her to continue with her education and Judy went on to Columbia University in the doctorate program studying economics. In the 1940’s economics was not considered appropriate for women. Judy was one of two women in her entire class at Columbia.

It was at Columbia University where she first met Alan Greenspan who would later throw her a lifeline when no company would hire a woman as an economist. With intelligence, perseverance and deep reflection Judy became a success in her field and broke many glass ceilings speaking at conferences where no women had previously been allowed to enter. She believed in what is now called behavioral economics and made predictions about the economy not just by the data, but by observing the world around her. She correctly insisted there would be a baby boom in the 1950’s by noticing not the figures on the page but the figures of New York's womens expanding waistlines. She correctly predicted a housing boom by observing all the scaffolding. Everywhere Judy traveled she spoke with people around her learning of their lives and placing their experiences in the context of the broader economy.

In September of 1948 at a political rally, Judy met a scrappy young sailor, John Mackey who was the union representative for the merchant marines. He was charismatic, creative, a good dancer and loved to have long political discussions. Two months later they were married. During the early years of their marriage Judy and John were often apart. John, who had served in the merchant marines during the second world war, was drafted into the navy during the Korean war and was stationed in Japan. Eventually, the couple left the city and settled in West Nyack, NY where they bought a ranch house on an acre of land that went down to a lake.

It was in this setting that they welcomed their three children Malina, Valeda and Sean. Judy gave up her job with Townsend Greenspan and worked from home writing an economic newsletter, the Townsend Letter. Later, she would write in her memoir that she wanted to be fully human, to have it all, the satisfying gender defying career, the home with husband and children, travel, friends, good books, dancing, theater…to fully live life (Just don’t ask her where the broom is!)

To Judy, family was extremely important. Due to the holocaust she had a small but treasured extended family. From her father’s side she had her cousins Izzy and Roma with their son Danny. On her mother’s side was Joycie, Tony and Ed and their children Ian and Greg, Bob and Anne. These relationships, along with her immediate family, were the backbone of her life. The ones she would turn to for love and support when life was hard.

Judy loved to travel. As a young woman Judy had hitchhiked through Nova Scotia with a friend.With Johnny she went to Mexico and Jamaica. As a family with children and Judy’s mother, they went to Israel to visit cousins and then toured Europe in a volkswagon bug. Judy would pass on this desire to explore the world first to her children and subsequently to her grandchildren.

Unfortunately, life is rarely easy and John died in 1975. Judy looked to her mother for support. Sophia gave up her apartment in New York and moved in with Judy and the kids. Judy returned to work with Alan Greenspan. She provided economic consulting for some of the largest firms and traveled all over the country sharing her expertise about the shape of the economy.

In September of 1978, at an economic conference in New Orleans, Judy met her second husband Russell George Baker. Russ was also an economist and a widower. To all the world he appeared like a staid conservative man. Judy would later say she couldn’t believe how other people missed the twinkle in his eyes or his glee in delivering clever puns. That first night they went out dancing and fell in love. Two months later, in November of 1978 they were married. The couple moved to Connecticut and Russ, who had never had children, became a wonderful father to Judy’s three children. Later he would become a beloved grandfather to their five grandchildren; Brook, Corwin, Leif, Stephan and Sophia.

Unfortunately, with Joy is often sorrow. On Thanksgiving of 1984 Judy’s feisty and strong mother died. Sophie was 89 at her time of passing.

Judy and Russ retired down to Williamsburg, Virginia. Judy always mentioned that those were the happiest years of her life. She and Russ developed close friends with the community at Counselor's Close. They would spend their days reading newspapers and running Mackey-Baker, an economic consulting firm. In the evenings they would take a three mile walk down DOG (Duke of Gloucester) street, dine with friends or go dancing. Every summer the children and grandchildren would come visit, a week in Williamsburg and a week at Virginia beach. Judy worshiped the sun and had a lifelong love of the ocean. Every summer you could find her jumping the waves or sitting in a beach chair soaking up the sun with her shoulder straps pulled down, sunglasses on, engrossed in a good book.

In the summer of 2003 Russ was diagnosed with cancer and the couple moved out to Colorado to be with their children. Judy lovingly nursed Russ through his illness and mourned him after his death on March 7,2006. Once again Judy was a widow. With her indomitable spirit Judy made a new life for herself here in Colorado. She became an active participant in the library book club, joined the temple and formed deep friendships. She continued going to the theater and traveling with both her children and grandchildren. During the pandemic Judy took a zoom class on memoir writing and spent hours reflecting on, and writing about, her life's journey. She concluded that she had a good life, and in the quiet of her final chapters she pondered that it was the close relationships and the love shared that made her life full and rich.

Judy is survived by her children: Malina Bakken, Valeda Mackey and Sean Mackey, Her grandchildren: Brook and Derek Darnell, Corwin Mietchry and Austin Hudmon, Leif Mackey, Stephan Mietchry and Sophia Mietchry. Her step-grandchildren Nick Bakken and Mariah and Anthony Brooks. Her dear cousins: Danny Turbow, Bob Sandler, Ian Robinson, Greg Robinson, Sarah Turbow, Jocelyn Rigel and Ariela Robinson. Her adopted family of the heart Dayna Granston, Gail and Ray Nickels and EllenFine And many dear and devoted friends.

The funeral will be held on Saturday March 2nd 2024 at 1:00pm

Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery 7777 West 29th Ave Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

It will be followed by a reception celebrating Judy’s life starting one hour after the funeral at the home of Malina Bakken 5867 South Moore St. Littleton, CO. 80127. It is a potluck so please bring a dish to share and the beverage of your choice.

Please consider donating to our Judy Rosenblum Mackey Baker Memorial Fund at https://gofund.me/7cca64e2 or send flowers to either Olingers for the funeral or Malina’s for the celebration of Judy’s life. Both addresses are listed above. Thank you so much for your help and support. If you can't contribute, your friendship, love and kindness is enough. We are very grateful for the loving community that surrounded our mother.