Judith E. Skeen

JUDITH E (JENNESS) SKEEN, 80 Years old, passed away June 16, 2016, under Hospice care at Good Samaritan Village, Las Cruces, NM. Judy was born May 29, 1936, in Westfield, Mass, to Raymond N. Jenness and Avis Natalie (Delano) Jenness, the second of two children. She went to school in Hatfield, Mass, where her father was principal of schools, and graduated from Smith Academy class of 1953. During school years Judy summered in Rockport, Mass., working in Hedlunds Restaurant as waitress and pastry baker. She then went to Cazenovia College in New York to become a nursery school teacher. Upon graduation in 1955 she found no jobs available in that profession so went to short term business school in Boston, Mass, to become a secretary. Upon graduation she was working for Sudbury Brassgoods Company in Boston. Judy met her husband Jerry Skeen when he lit her cigarette on a train from Rockport to Boston while she was returning from her 5th high school reunion in June 1958. They were married October 11, 1958, in Acton, Mass. Judy was an active Girl Scout leader, an Eastern Star Officer in Griffith Indiana, and member of United Methodist Church in each community of residence, along with assisting her husband in local politics. She was even arrested while picketing town offices to get sewers installed into her subdivision in Dyer Indiana. Knitting, sewing, swimming, playing cards, and cooking, were all hobbies of hers. Judy and Jerry were owners of several different businesses over the years including apartment buildings, mobile home parks, and commercial buildings, a fudge shop and a Christmas decoration shop, and art galleries. Judy truly loved dealing with the public. Judy is survived by her husband Jerry Skeen, of Las Cruces NM and Rockport, Mass., daughter Jenny Skeen of Las Cruces, NM, grandson Jarryth Skeen of Haverhill, Mass, brother Raymond Jenness Jr. of Rockport, Mass, and son in-law Mark Sonia of North Carolina., along with many loved nieces and nephews, and friends. A visitation was held Monday, June 20, 2016 at Getz Funeral Home beginning at 5:00pm. A burial will take place in Hatfield, MA on Tuesday June 28. PDF Printable Version