Judith S. Ragazzo

Judith (Judy) Ragazzo died on April 8 2025, age 85 at her home in West Hartford, the house that she grew up in and loved. She was born in Hartford, CT on September 14, 1939 to the late Albert and Bessie Swem. Judy grew up in West Hartford, spending time in summer at the family beach cottage at Point O’Woods, Old Lyme, which her father and his brothers helped to build. She attended Hall High School. Judy married in 1957 and her daughter Cynthia (Cindy) Ragazzo was born in 1957. The family moved to Boston, and her son Gregory (Greg) Ragazzo was born there in 1961. In 1970 Judy, divorced, and moved back to her West Hartford home with Cindy and Greg. As a single mom, Judy provided for her family by working at Aetna until 1989 when she retired. Judy stayed in touch with many of her Aetna friends for the rest of their lives, including Cecile Case, Joan Tyler and Hugh Hunter. Judy loved to explore and travel, particularly in Scandinavia where her parents were from, England where her son settled, and to other European countries. She also enjoyed visiting Cindy and her family where they settled on the Central Coast, California. She was a keen skier, and having learnt to do so in New England, and loved doing so further afield including the Alps and Rockys. In retirement, Judy continued to travel, including spending many Christmases with her ‘English family’ in London. She also enjoyed reading, cooking, watching sports and loved to spend time attending to her many house plants and garden - her daffodils were in joyful full bloom at the time of her death. She also enjoyed spending time each summer at the same family beach cottage that she had such happy memories of visiting as a child. Judy absolutely loved dogs, and enjoyed dog sitting for her friends and neighbours, including Anne Painter, Sheila Jacobs and Bob Barrett in her later years. Lucy, Samson and Brewster were some of her favourite four-legged friends, but there were many more. Judy is survived by her son Greg and daughter-in-law Sally Leevers, and her son-in-law James Dean, and her grandchildren Loren, Eric and Janice Dean. She was predeceased by her daughter Cindy. A celebration of Judy and her life will take place at Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06119 on Friday April 18, at 2pm, with a reception to follow. To attend services remotely please visit www.molloyfuneralhome.com for the zoom link. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the Connecticut Humane Society, an animal welfare organization https://cthumane.org/ways-to-give/?form=memorialtribute. Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82604519184?pwd=G1jeVXJgsfI9MkMvURLWjy8vPm1oMZ.1

Judith S. Ragazzo

April 8, 2025