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Obituary of Judythe Dianne Underhill
Judythe Dianne Underhill, (nee Johnson), was born in Saint John, NB, before the dust of World War Two had settled, on August 11, 1946, to Jeanne Yvonne (Tobin) Johnson and WO1 John Rodman Johnson. Judy was a brilliant and beautiful spark of light in their lives and countless other lives, a life cut short on Sunday, October 27, 2024 (coincidentally her mother’s birthday). She breathed her last, calmly, in the arms of her close family.
Judy was no stranger to loss and grief in her lifetime, having lost an infant daughter, Susie, a close young cousin, Pauline, her own parents, and other loved ones over the years.
She persevered through the pain of those losses and raised her two children, first with her late husband Alton Underhill, and then for many years as a strong, courageous and determined single mother. Judy loved steadfast and unconditionally her son, Chris Underhill of Dartmouth NS and daughter Katie Underhill (Ryan Waugh) of Oakville, Ontario. She loved them fiercely, without judgement and always with enormous compassion and empathy. Beyond the love for her children, Judy was blessed with four wonderful grandchildren, who were truly the loves of her life: Brayden and Owen Underhill and Grace and Nolan Waugh. She was truly a devoted Grandmother, number one fan, supporter and cheerleader attending years of hockey, baseball, dance recitals and volleyball, she beamed with pride and her love the currency that she generously doled out to each child unreservedly.
Judy deeply loved and was loved by her surviving siblings, William Johnson (Dawn Russell), Rod Johnson (Diane) and Susan Sabourin (Michael). She will be remembered by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Born into a military family, Judy crisscrossed the nation from Vancouver to Fredericton, by train and car twice as a child. She was a success in all her early endeavours from the badminton court, the dance floor, and particularly academically, as she garnered many awards and accolades. ‘Smarty-pants Jutes’ as she was known to her siblings, skipped grades as a Junior High student and finished a remarkable academic career early to become a French teacher at Saint Dunstan’s School in Fredericton, NB. After she married in 1968, she moved, with her husband, to Toronto, where she co-owned and managed her husband’s engineering firm in Richmond Hill, Ontario. For a brief period, she returned to her teaching and finally ended her working career as an office scheduler for the VON (Victoria Order of Nurses) in and around Halifax Nova Scotia.
But we must not be remiss and record faithfully her love of reading and art, her simple, marvellous flirtation with painting and crafts, her soulful and uplifting letters to friends and family members, her selfless crocheting of blankets for many and many to the less fortunate, her friendly personality left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
A selfless individual to a fault, Judy was the rock for those who needed support, the best mother, grandmother, aunt, daughter, sister and friend one could ever hope for. Her absence leaves a void that cannot be filled.
Her infectious laugh and boundless heart made every room shine and every life she touched better for it. As we say goodbye to ‘Judy, Jutes, Mom, Ma, Grammie’, we celebrate the life of a woman who was a beacon of kindness and love. Her legacy is one of unwavering devotion to her family, a testament to the beautiful life she lived, and the countless lives she touched. Judy's memory will be treasured forever, as we hold her close in our hearts and remember the light she brought into this world.
The family would like to express our deep gratitude to all the staff and nurses on Unit 5 West of the Dartmouth General Hospital and Glenn Conrad for all their support and care.
We would also like to extend our invitation to join us to celebrate the life of Judy on Saturday November 9th, 2024, 1:00pm at the J. Albert Walker Funeral Home (149 Herring Cove Rd, Halifax) with a 2:00pm service to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to the Nova Scotia Mental Health Foundation. https://www.mentalhealthns.ca/
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