Obituary of Judith Elizabeth Gittings
Judith Elizabeth Gittings
1938-2023
Died peacefully on Saturday, April 15th, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was predeceased by her husband, David Gittings (2019) and son, Rob (2007). Also predeceased by her parents, Geoffrey and Betty Lampard, and brother, Roy. Dear mother of Nancy (Joe), John, Kathy, and daughter-in-law, Sue. Loving grandmother to Sarah, Erin, Ben, Bill, Christina, Troy, Cole, David and Vanessa. Great grandmother (GG) to Shayne, Olivia, Ava, Owen, Klara, Addison, Riley, Hunter, McKenna and Heidi.
While attending the St. Catharines Collegiate High School, Judy taught dance lessons with Mrs. Rankin’s School of Dance. She was also a summer camp counsellor, where she taught canoeing. Once married and with four children, she kept busy with her beautiful garden, home and the family dogs. She also became a busy taxi driver for the kids – school sports, music lessons and orchestra rehearsals, etc… there was always something going on for mom to take care of.
She planned and packed for fun family camping trips each summer, from out west to BC and east to Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, all with 4 kids, 1-2 large dogs and once a baby starling in a cage.
Mom and dad eventually were able to do some travelling on their own, when mom could get dad away from the police service, golf club and bridge group. They went to Europe, England, an Alaskan cruise and Peru, along with the many roads travelled in their motorhome across North America.
Mom volunteered for the family’s church, Mountainview United, in many roles, and was instrumental in raising a lot of money each year at the church geranium sale, which she ran with her friend, Shirley Nicholson.
Mom also volunteered with the St Catharines General Hospital ladies auxiliary for many years, as well as Meals on Wheels and Information Niagara.
The family would like to share their appreciation of the staff at Niagara Gardens Retirement Home for the kind and compassionate care of mom, especially at the end.
The family will receive friends at the George Darte Funeral Home & Cremation Centre, 585 Carlton St. on Friday, April 21st from 2-4 and 6-8pm.
A Celebration of Life for our Mom will be held Friday, May 26th, at 11 am at Trillium United Church, 415 Linwell Road, St. Catharines.
If so desired, donations made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada or The Owl Foundation in Judy's memory would be appreciated by her family.