Judith Lynn Hotz of Branford passed away on Jan. 2 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She was the wife of the late Roger Hotz.
She was the mother of Geoffrey Hotz of Branford, Lorelei (Daniel) Lash of Fairfax, Virginia, and Rachel (Mark) Anastas of Cape Neddick, Maine; grandmother of Ethan, Maia, Jake, and Evan; and sister of Deborah Woodcock of Vienna, Virginia. She was predeceased by her brother John Woodcock.
Judith was born in Youngstown, Ohio, March 11, 1941, daughter of the late Joseph and Vera Woodcock. She grew up in Niles, Ohio. Judith graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in nursing. While there, she was a member of the Chi Omega sorority. She met Roger while in Cincinnati. After their honeymoon, Roger and Judy moved to Northford to start their family. In 1980, they moved to Branford.
As her children were growing up, Judy served on numerous Branford school PTAs, and worked as a substitute school nurse. Once her children were older, Judy worked as a full-time school nurse at the Mary T. Murphy Elementary School in Branford. She took over Architectural Steel and Hotz Corporation after the death of her husband. Upon her retirement, she was elected to the Branford Board of Education, where she was serving her third term and was on the Board at ACES. She was a proud member of the New Haveners, the Connecticut School Nurses Association, the Branford Women’s Club, the Pine Orchard Yacht and Country Club, Friends of the Blackstone Library, and the Pine Orchard Homemakers.
Judy enjoyed playing Bridge and Mahjong, and spending time with her friends. She doted on her grandchildren, taking them on annual week-long vacations. Her children and grandchildren were the pride of her life.
Visiting hours will be Jan. 5 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 N. Main St., Branford. Friends are invited to her funeral service Jan. 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Branford, 1009 Main St., Branford, with burial to follow at the Branford Center Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter, 749 E. Main St., Branford, CT 06405, or The Friends of the Blackstone Memorial Library, 758 Main St., Branford, CT 06405. For an online memorial, see www.wsclancy.com.
