Passed Away On: November 3, 2021

Deane Douglass Judd

April 9, 1937 – November 3, 2021

 

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, and uncle passed away peacefully in his home with his wife by his side at age 84.  Born to the late Papa (Douglass Richard Judd) and Mama (Maebelle Brooks Judd) and brother to the late Joan Daisy Judd Van Reeth, Deane was born and raised in Oakland, California.  He attended Castlemont High School, Class of 1955, and received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of California, Berkeley.

Deane served as an officer for the United States Navy, three years of which were spent on the USS Dennis J Buckley (DDR808). He married and raised a family in the Bay Area, and spent his career in Silicon Valley, mostly at Amdahl Corporation.  It was in the Bay Area where he earned his private pilot’s license.

In the 90s, Deane met Janice and they eventually made their home in Hollister where he continued to indulge in his love for aviation.  He was the proud owner of a Cessna 172, which he flew up until age 83.  He was appointed Airport Advisory Commissioner for the Hollister Municipal Airport and served from 1997 to 2003, and appointed again by Mayor Valdivia in 2011 and served until 2019.    He held the position of air boss for two of the Hollister air shows and was an active volunteer for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) whose mission includes fostering young people’s interest in aviation.  He flew reconnaissance flights for the Hollister Motorcycle Rally every 4th of July weekend.  Deane also served on the San Benito County Grand Jury and most recently on the Board of Directors for BenitoLink—a community-funded public news service.

Deane was known to have, as one friend put it, an old-fashioned work ethic.  He prided himself on being well informed reading up to three newspapers a day.  And he was a man of integrity, remembered often having change on the kitchen counter that he had to return to the local grocery store because they had overpaid him.  He had a true engineering mind and thrived on solving complex problems.  And he had immeasurable patience, especially if he was teaching or grooming someone to learn a new skill.

Deane died from complications from COPD due to emphysema and interstitial lung disease. Ever interested in science, he requested his body be donated to further medical research.

Deane is survived by his wife, Janice Judd; his daughter, Catherine Judd; his son, Douglass Judd, daughter-in-law, Rebecca Judd, granddaughters, Ellie and Tuesday Judd; numerous nieces and nephews; and Janice’s son, Mike Quigley.  He was preceded in death by his former wife, Edna Judd.

A service will be held in the new year.  For details, email deanejuddmemorial@gmail.com.  In his memory, the family asks that donations be made to the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) https://www.eaa.org/eaa/support-eaa/give.