Jan Berris

Last weekend, on October 19, Margot Green, Richard Grant, and I attended a beautiful memorial on Whidbey Island, Washington, that Judy Gelfand Dankanics' daughters (Laura and Eva) held to honor and remember her indomitable spirit and her love of family, friends, and even passing strangers -- whom she delighted in meeting and getting to know.  It was a wonderful event, filled with warm, loving memories of Judith; lots of pictures and saved mementos (like the 1962 Capri with her name engraved in gold on the front as she was one of the editors, or the brochure from our Honors Convocation, even her WWII ration booklet!!).  And the refreshment included all of Judith’s favorite foods – lovingly prepared by her former colleagues and friends. 

It was great that there were people there from every phase of her life -- growing up in Detroit; her stints as a Pan Am stewardess (as they were then called) and a French teacher; her 30 years of co-founding and co-running The Dollhouse Factory, a very successful family business that she and her then-husband started from scratch in 1972; and the many interesting jobs she held and roles she played in the close-knit community of Langley that she joined after moving to Washington State in the late 2000s, soon thereafter joined by her two daughters and their families. 

She will be deeply missed but long remembered by the many people she touched over the decades.

Last weekend, on October 19, Margo Green, Richard Grant, and I attended a beautiful memorial on Whidbey Island, Washington, that Judy Gelfand Dankanics' daughters (Laura and Eva) held to honor and remember her indomitable spirit and her love of family, friends, and even passing strangers -- whom she delighted in meeting and getting to know.  It was a wonderful event, filled with warm, loving memories of Judith; lots of pictures and saved mementos (like the 1962 Capri with her name engraved in gold on the front as she was one of the editors, or the brochure from our Honors Convocation, even her WWII ration booklet!!).  And the refreshment included all of Judith’s favorite foods – lovingly prepared by her former colleagues and friends. 

It was great that there were people there from every phase of her life -- growing up in Detroit; her stints as a Pan Am stewardess (as they were then called) and a French teacher; her 30 years of co-founding and co-running The Dollhouse Factory, a very successful family business that she and her then-husband started from scratch in 1972; and the many interesting jobs she held and roles she played in the close-knit community of Langley that she joined after moving to Washington State in the late 2000s, soon thereafter joined by her two daughters and their families. 

She will be deeply missed but long remembered by the many people she touched over the decades.

Eddie, How nice to hear from you. I am on line here, just for a moment, as i have a 1:00 zoom meeting to prepare for and that will be followed by meeting through till 9:00 tonight! But please send me an email at jberris@ncuscr.org and i will answer --- though possible not for a few days as its a hectic time at work. But delighted to learn that you will be in New York.

Posted on: Apr 25, 2016 at 4:33 AM