Judith Bourassa Joy

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Judith Bourassa Joy

Judith Bourassa Joy, 49, of Stratham died on Tuesday, November 12, 2013, following an all-too-brief battle with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer.

Born July 17, 1964, in Augusta, Maine, to Donald and Priscilla Bourassa, Judy graduated from Cony High School and then majored in English with a minor in Chemistry at Bowdoin College. In 1987, she married Scott Joy, and together they had four children, Alison (21, a senior at Syracuse University), Katie (18, a freshman at Stonehill College), and fraternal twins David and Eric (15, sophomores at Exeter High School). Early in her career, Judy was a human factors analyst at Liberty Mutual Insurance, where she returned two years ago as a business systems analyst. In between, she raised her family, received a master’s degree in elementary education from Lesley University, taught elementary school and technology classes, and published the young adult science fiction novel, A Doorway Through Space . She was a long-time girl scout leader.

Judy had a lovely soprano voice, which she used in choruses and community musical theater productions through early adulthood and later as a member of and soloist with the Rockingham Choral Society.

Judy was known for her charming hoot of a laugh, quirky sense of humor, and inventive word choices. She loved playing games with her children and spending time outdoors, especially at the family camp at Moosehead Lake in northern Maine and skiing at Smugglers Notch. She was an avid reader of good literature with a special love of young adult fiction. Her latest passion was a series of Teddy Roosevelt biographies. Judy chaired the Stratham Community Church’s most recent pastoral search committee and was serving on its board of deacons.

In addition to her husband and four children, family members include her brother Donald and wife Eileen of Tallahassee, FL; three sisters, Debby Herman and husband Pete of Apalachin, NY, Kathy Petersen and husband Dan of Augusta, ME, and Cindy Seaver and husband Benjamin of Andover, NH; and numerous nieces and nephews. Judy also loved the family cats Teddy and Toby, and had kept shetland sheepdogs and fish.

Visiting hours are Friday, November 15, from 6-8 pm at the Stockbridge Funeral Home, 141 Epping Road, Exeter. A celebration of Judy’s life will be held at Stratham Community Church, 6 Emery Lane, Stratham, Saturday at 2 pm. Burial will be in the Maple Lane Cremation Garden at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation or the Heifer Project.

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