Judith H. "Judy" Garvey

Judith Handley Garvey, born July 24, 1928 to Francis Patrick and Margaret Ivers Handley passed away peacefully after a very brief turn in her health, on Thursday, January 11, 2024. She was 95.

Nicknamed Poppy, she grew up in Manchester, Connecticut, getting into all kinds of mischief with her best friend Janie before making her way to Skidmore College and then to Wheelock where she graduated in 1951 with a degree in teaching. Upon graduation she landed back in Manchester teaching third graders at Verplanck Elementary School before heading off to Greenwich, Connecticut to teach second grade at The North Street School. 

While vacationing at The Colony Hotel in Kennebunkport, Maine with her parents and her sister, Jean, in 1958, she literally bumped into her future husband Jim, as they were swimming underwater in the pool. Both completely near-sighted and without their glasses they blindly set the course for a beautiful life together, filled with laughter, travel, two daughters, three grandchildren and so much love. Their first stop together was Harrison, New York, then Darien, Connecticut where, just as Judy was hanging the final piece of wallpaper in one of the bedrooms, the call came that Jim had been transferred to Philadelphia. Off they went, to set up their final home together in Berwyn, Pennsylvania. 

Judy, a lifelong Democrat and Jim, a lifelong Republican, made a pact early on in their marriage to never discuss politics with one another which, apparently worked, even on election days when they volunteered on opposing sides at the polls. 

Judy was a firm advocate for community service, volunteering for many years at Bryn Mawr Hospital, the hotdog stand and information booth at The Devon Horse Show, the pool at Hershey's Mill and logging over 2,000 hours at Bryn Mawr Rehab. She was a member in good standing of The Great Valley Women’s Club for over 40 years and until recently, The Hershey’s Mill Branch of The Paoli Hospital Auxiliary. She was also a proud alum of The Richard Stockton Gift Shop in Bryn Mawr.

Judy was an avid traveler, venturing with Jim and the Cigna Linasaurs to exotic locales, Europe with her sister and friends, taking each grandchild on individual trips after the fourth grade and even making it to Spain, the Caribbean and Bermuda in her late eighties!  

A lover of books, the theater, the New York Times, and an evening cocktail, Judy was curious about the world around her and with everyone she met, and boy, did she love a good story! Her family was everything to her and she instilled in all of them her unwavering sense of kindness. 

Judy loved her time at Hershey's Mill, and she was particularly grateful for the support and friendship of the Chatham Circle ladies. Predeceased by her beloved husband James Casanave Garvey, she leaves behind her two daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth (Ian McHugh), her beloved grandchildren Audrey, Natalie, and Liam James and former son-in-law Wilbur James. She will be dearly missed. 

Relatives and friends are invited to her Visitation 10:00-11:00 AM on Friday, January 19, 2024 at St. Norbert’s Church, 6 Greenlawn Rd., Paoli, PA 19301, followed by her Funeral Mass at 11:00 AM. The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed and can be found at parish.stnorbert.org/livestream. Interment Private.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Agnes Irwin School, 275 S. Ithan Ave, Rosemont, PA 19010, agnesirwin.org or Camp Nellie Huckins, 17 Camp Huckins Rd., Freedom, NH 03836, camphuckins.org.