To Judy's family and friends - we are incredibly humbled and honored to receive gifts in Judy's memory to continue our work of pretrial freedom and justice for people in Chicago and across Illinois. Thank you for your generosity. We are deeply touched by what we know of Judy from the stories you shared here. We will bring her passion and dedication forward into our work and into our world. <3
-Chicago Community Bond Fund staff
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To Judy's family...I am so sorry for your loss. Judy was my dissertation chair and mentor over twenty years ago. She taught me so much, coding, qualitative research and the impact of clear, good writing, but I was most impressed about what she taught me about my own mothering...given her own. She was a remarkable woman. She will be dearly missed.
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To Judy's family. Judy was one of my favorite colleagues and friend during the 28 years I spent in the Sociology Department at Loyola. I loved our conversations and she was incredibly supportive of my work as I was of hers. Funny, that she would often call me into her office to look at her computer to try and figure out why something was working or not. We both had a laugh about that. But, most of all I remember how well loved she was by all of our graduate students and colleagues. And especially how she always emphasized getting the data - doing the necessary labor of field work (which she was a master in). I remember and miss the parties at her house and also how she could easily understand the plight of the less fortunate and support those of us who struggled with researching difficult topics. She was an amazing colleague, friend and activist. I really miss her. Love to you Judy where ever you are.
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My sincere condolences to Judy's family and friends. Judy was a very giving person but the most precious gift she shared was her time. She was a mentor, friend, and boss and will be greatly missed. After reading the obituary, I now know why I was not able to reach Judy these past few years. Wish I could tell her "thank you" just one more time.
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My first big conversation with Judy was when I was interviewing women sociologists for a project in the late 70s. I was a new Ph.D. and nervous to meet her because I had already heard a lot about her brilliance. She was so down-to-earth, funny, and, of course, smart as could be. I remember sitting in my car outside the house afterwards listening to the tape and writing notes and marveling at this incredible person I had just interviewed. Years later, Susan Stall, Judy, and I were in a writing group together. We met together regularly for almost two decades. What a joy to have that time with Judy and Susan! Judy's feedback was always supportive and thought-provoking. She was so well-read and almost always reminded me of an important article to revisit. Our deep thinking was never without lots of laughter. How fortunate I was to have had Judy in my life for so many years.
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Very early in our careers, Judy and I were guests on a radio show. That began an infrequent but very sweet interaction between two Loyola feminists, one from sociology and from the law school. I have long admired Judy's warmth and wit. True, she was a real force. I will miss her dearly.
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Judy and I began at Loyola on the same day, along with Kathy McCourt and Kirsten Gronjberg. Both we and Loyola were fortunate to have Judy with us for so many years, as were the generations of students she trained. I was a bright eyed rookie faculty member right out of grad school and new to Chicago. Judy was more worldly with considerable experience in Chicago and life. She loved her children and her grandchildren and frequently regaled me with stories about them from the time Liz and Jenny were small to when the grandchildren began to arrive. I learned a lot from her.
Early in our careers, Judy and I both taught at the Water Tower campus at 8:30 in the morning, held office hours, and then had to rush to the Lake Shore Campus to teach at 11:30. Often we traveled together on the CTA. One snowy morning, we hurried out to catch the CTA. Judy wanted to take the 147 Outer Drive Express, but I convinced her that taking the EL would be safer on a slippery morning. On the way to the EL, Judy slipped off the curb and hurt her ankle. She shrugged it off as not a big deal and insisted that we hurry to the EL so we wouldn’t be late for our LSC classes. By the time we got to the Loyola LSC station, Judy could barely walk and I had to half carry her across campus. I suggested we get her to the doctor, but she was absolutely going to teach her class. That was Judy at her best—nothing was going to stop her from teaching. She did eventually get medical attention and the injury was fairly serious. She never chastised me for convincing her to take the EL, but we did reminisce about it later in our career and often when I would suggested some course of action, she would reply, “Oh sure, like the time you said we should take the EL.”
I learned a lot from Judy in our frequent conversations. She made me appreciate the value of qualitative research, she helped me see the world through her eyes and those of the many people, often in difficult situations, that she studied. I still use examples from her research in my teaching. And, she would occasionally grudgingly admit that there was a place for quantitative research in Sociology. So I’d like to think she learned something from me as well…including the time we had that extended conversation about Chi-square…
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I was Judy’s caregiver and she was my first client to care for privately. I have learned a lot from this incredible woman, her resilience, love for reading and be my best self.
We liked driving in the neighborhood and dress nice …
She was very humble person , smart and she use to help me proof read my homework.
She became family to me and I loved her very much.
I will miss you mama Judy,
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Reading this both breaks and warms my heart. It so beautifully captures what Judy was to so many of us. I'm a better sociologist, better researcher, better advocate for justice, and better person for her impact on my life and my work in graduate school. Sending her family so much love --thank you for sharing her with us, then and now.
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I am truly saddened to hear this. Dr. Wittner was my professor many years ago, what I remember most about her was her fierce demeanor. I remember think that this was not a woman I should make angry. I soon learned that her passion and knowledge of sociology far surpassed most that I had met. I consider myself lucky to have had the honor of being taught by this amazing woman. Rest well Dr. Wittner
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My deepest and heartfelt condolences to Judy’s family and loved ones. Judy was truly one in a million - a gifted educator, a passionate feminist, a mentor who could challenge and nurture, a true friend, and trusted colleague. She was driven to leave the world better than she found it and steadfast in her commitment to produce quality, public sociology that mattered. I, am one of the many and grateful recipients of Judy’s mentorship. It is because of her that I ask myself and my students at every opportunity- sociology for whom and sociology for what. Judy’s social justice and academic legacy is enormous. She will be greatly missed.
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Judy was an outstanding prof who put the interest of the student at the core of her teaching.
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Elizabeth, This is Ellen Field ;from CBI- I am so very sorry to hear of your mothers death- I was so touched by your beautiful obituary and wish I had known this beautiful incredible woman- you were very lucky to have had such a wonderful woman as your mother and grandmother for your children- may her memory be a blessing
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Judy and I were grad students in sociology and at the Center for Urban Affairs (CUA) at Northwestern. She had the wonderful ability to be sharp/to the point/no nonsense in evaluating situations, but doing it in a way that was always supportive and empathetic and with a mile-wide smile. I can't begin to describe all the experiences we had in that converted CUA house. A person can live to be a thousand if they impact others who carry on the spirit of that person's life. Judy touched so many, many, many people--students, colleagues, friends. My contact with her over the past five years was often limited to conferences, but whenever we connected, it was as if we were continuing a conversation from the day before. Personally, I have many colleagues and friends, but only a very few who I would call "sister" or "brother" in a "no boundaries" sense. I will miss her but take comfort in seeing the fruits of her work in so many younger folks who carry on!
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Judy was a unique academic not so much in brilliance, critical insight at which she excelled, but she was a teacher of the the one content area rarely "taught" — compassion and a practice (not just a theory) of ethics. May her spirit of generosity live on. Judy Wittner,
!presente!
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She had the greatest most generous heart and an uncompromising commitment to Justice.
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Judy was a colleague, mentor, and friend during my time as an administrator and graudate student and Loyola University Chicago. I cannot say enough about how much I learned from Judy and enjoy spending time with her. She always pushed me to do better and reminded me that our job as sociologists was to help others see how inequality was not a personal failing but built into the system. I am a better person for knowing her and will be forever thankful for her lessons, compassion, and kindness.
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Judy was the first feminist sociologist I met in Chicago after I first moved to Chicago and happened to live in an apartment across from her office. What stood out to me in that first meeting with her was her passion to make the world a better place and her brutal honesty as well as her unmistakable warmth that continued to manifest in various ways as I ran into her many times in my time in Chicago as I was training to be a sociologist. Rest in power Judy!
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"Dr. Judy" as I called her was one of the last professors I had at Loyola. Grateful to have known her. A legend. Wisdom beyond measure. May her memory be a blessing 💛
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Sending our deepest condolences. This is such a beautiful and apt tribute that captures Judy's many facets. She touched so many lives in so many different circles. Judy was a great colleague & friend-- I already miss her wisdom, political astuteness, and advice. I will always treasure memories of time spent conversing over wine in our living rooms, the Thanksgivings she spent with us, and her generous mentoring when I was a new grad faculty anthropologist in the.sociology program-- much of what I know about how to support and mentor grad students (and teach qualitative methods) was thanks to her. She will be much missed!
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