By Jared Lindell

With the Community Foundation, one of the best ways to remember someone is to create a new fund for that person. Doing so accomplishes a few things: 1) The name of the person being remembered will forever live on in the community, 2) The community will always benefit from the fund of the person being remembered, 3) Humanity will benefit due to the good works being done through the fund. One new fund at the Community Foundation that accomplishes all three of the above points is the Judith S. Smith Community Service Fund. 

Judith S. “Judy” Smith was born on February 25, 1946, in Leechburg, Pennsylvania. While Judy led a good childhood, she yearned for personal growth, which led her to become the first person in her family to attend college at Clarion University in Pennsylvania. In high school, Judy developed a strong interest in the Russian language and math. These interests grew once she was able to pursue them at Clarion University, but it was math that would become her ultimate calling. In 1968, Judy earned her bachelor’s degree from Clarion University and would go on to complete her post-graduate studies at SUNY Fredonia.

While Judy was developing her career interests at college, her personal interests also came to light. While at Clarion, Judy met her future husband, Jim. Jim was also pursuing a career based in math, so the couple’s paths crossed many times during their college years. The relationship between the two subtly grew over time, largely based on their college relationship and the fact that they both had Pennsylvanian roots, as Jim is from Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. 

Jim and Judy’s teaching experiences would eventually bring them to Jamestown, where both would interview for teaching jobs. Judy ended up taking a job at Washington Junior High School and Jim at Jefferson Junior High School. Judy taught math at Washington Junior High School from 1968 to 1978. The couple was married in 1974 in Jamestown and, in 1978, their son James was born.

However, Judy was more than just a teacher, wife, and mother. From a volunteer standpoint, Judy gave her gift of time to a number of various community organizations, with WCA Hospital and Creche being her biggest involvements. Whether serving as a member/treasurer of the WCA Hospital Auxiliary or volunteering her time with the WCA Gift Shop Committee, Judy spent many hours at WCA. Additionally, she was an active member of Creche, serving on the board and on many committees over the course of her long-time service with the organization. 

Of all of Judy’s attributes, her faith was perhaps her strongest. After being diagnosed with cancer, it was Judy’s faith, coupled with the outcry of support from friends and family, that carried her through. Judy always expected the best of everybody and looked for integrity in every person she encountered. The caring people around Judy possessed these important qualities, doing good things for her. She truly found comfort in this support and a renewed faith in humanity, even though she was enduring a very trying time.    

Judy Smith passed away on April 8, 2006. Judy’s husband, Jim, established a donor-advised fund at the Community Foundation in remembrance of Judy to assist organizations that fit her character. Through this fund, Judith S. Smith will always be remembered for the good and caring person she was. The Judith S. Smith Community Service Fund will serve to honor her selflessness and belief in the good of humanity, as this fund will truly benefit organizations and people in need.