Individual Details

Death

Judith Reardon Obituary
Dr. Judith Ann Reardon, 81, of Sarasota, FL, passed away August 30, 2023. She was born to the late Judge John T. Reardon and Mildred M. Reardon, on Sep. 18, 1941, in Quincy, Illinois.
Judith graduated from Quincy Notre Dame High School in 1959. She graduated from St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, IN with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Writing in 1963. She received her Master's degree in Psychology, from Auburn University, Auburn, AL in 1998, and her PhD in Philosophy from Capella University, Minneapolis, MN in 2012. Judith's PhD dissertation,
"The Lived Experience of Being a Grandmother: A Heuristic Study," reflects the two true passions in her life, family and education, and is dedicated to "seven brilliant and unwitting sources of delight, my children's children."
Judith was preceded in death by both of her parents and sister Constance, and survived by her sister Sherry Gibbons of Glen Carbon, IL. Judith is also survived by her three children: Mark Rossmiller, of Apollo Beach, FL; John Rossmiller, of La Grange, IL; and Amelia Johnson, of Brookhaven, GA.
She is also survived by seven loving grandchildren (Austin, Brent, Cate, Jack, Zoe, Sam and Caroline) and one great-grandchild (Knox). Judith was an accomplished academic, writer and journalist, a Chicago Tribune and Quincy Herald-Whig columnist, radio show personality, artist, educator and life-long student.
A close friend aptly described her as "an astute observer of life", finding beauty and profound meaning from seemingly ordinary, everyday events. Most importantly to her, Judith was also an inspirational mother and grandmother.
She adored her three children, and seven grandchildren, making a lasting and loving impact on all of their lives. In her later years as Nana, she embraced her role, ensuring all grandchildren felt unconditionally and individually loved, respected and valued. In addition to her family, she loved the beach, her cat Zeus, each and every sunset, and her yellow kitchen.
Deceased's Funeral Arrangements A memorial service will be held at St. Thomas More, Sarasota, FL on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at 9:30a.m. The family suggests a donation in support of Alzheimer's Research (http://act.alz.org/goto/judithannreardon) in lieu of sending flowers.
Published by Herald-Whig on Oct. 5, 2023.