Many thanks to fellow board member Paul Peterson for interviewing Judy and writing this profile.
Judy joined the board of The Stone Trust in January 2017 and currently serves as secretary. She became an avid enthusiast of dry stone walling after taking a two-day introductory workshop in May 2014. Over the next few years, Judy attended workshops on numerous aspects of dry-stone walling, including stone shaping, batter frames, stairs and steps, flagging and bridge building. She has passed her Level I (2016), Level 2 (2017) and Instructor (2018) certifications from the Dry Stone Walling Association of Great Britain (DSWA-GB). Judy currently resides on Long Island to be near her two daughters, her two sons-in-law, and her six grandchildren.
Judy pursued photography after raising her 2 daughters. For five years she photographed numerous events for the Nobel Women’s initiative, a coalition of women recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize.
After her daughters were grown and had begun their own families, Judy began exploring new activities, including dry stone walling. Her first project was a dry-stone foundation for a backyard shed. She also rebuilt a thirty-foot curved retaining wall at her daughter’s house. Most recently has Judy planned and organized the ten-year anniversary celebration for TST, an event that has been postponed until May 2021 due to coronavirus concerns.
Judy describes her attraction to dry-stone walling as “a challenging, three-dimensional, hands-on experience that leaves me with a wonderful feeling of achievement and exhaustion.” She engages actively with stone wall builders on Long Island, introducing them to the TST courses of instruction. The TST Board appreciates the energy and enthusiasm that Judy brings to all of her endeavors and hopes that she will continue to enjoy her well-earned “exhaustion.”