Judith H Whittaker

Celebrating the Unstoppable Life of Judith H. Whittaker

On May 20, 2026, Judith H. Whittaker, aged 84, decided she had given enough life lessons and peacefully entered the gates of heaven, returning home to her Heavenly Father. She passed away in Daytona Beach, Florida, leaving behind a legacy as vibrant, loving, and unforgettable as she was. Judith answered to many names throughout her beautiful life: Ma, Mom, J, Mama Judy, Judy, and her absolute favorite, Grammy.

As a single mother, Judith didn't just raise her two children, Robin and David she devotedly engineered their lives with pure grit, unconditional love, and a healthy dose of unprompted advice. She took that same relentless drive and built her own daycare business, which she successfully ran out of her home for 37 years. Over nearly four decades, countless children came and went through her doors. To Judith, these children were never just clients; they were extended family. She loved them deeply and had the ultimate privilege of watching her daycare babies grow up, get married, and eventually meet their children.

While she loved her own kids, she absolutely adored her grandchildrenEmma Whittaker, James Minkin, Benjamin Minkin, Lauren Whittaker, and Katryna Parvey. The grandkids would receive love, affection, laughter, and undesired "Life Lessons," mostly because, much to their annoyance, she was always right.

Judy absolutely loved her life in Ponce Inlet, where she maintained a social life that put most young people to shame. She was surrounded by neighbors who became true family and close friends who deeply looked out for one another. She was a proud member of the local Garden Club, which was highly ironic considering she couldn't keep a simple houseplant alive to save her life. Yet, she took tremendous, undeniable pride in her yard. She loved to make jewelry, express her rich creativity, and then joyfully share it all with others. She enjoyed going to "Down the Hatch" every Friday night with all her Ponce friends. One friend commented, "Ponce became much more enjoyable when JJ arrived."

To say Judith loved people is an understatement; she collected them because her heart was full of empathy. She possessed the rare gift of always finding the good in every single person even when others found it nearly impossible to see, she did. Her generosity was truly beyond explanation. She would literally give you the shirt off her back or the necklace off her neck; if she had it and you needed it, she gave it without a single question.

Her door was always open. If you needed a meal she'd take you out for dinner. If you needed a place to sleep her house was yours. If you needed that special piece of jewelry to complete your outfit-she'd tell you to come on over and take what you need. Because of this, she became a second mother to dozens of women who looked to her for guidance, strength, and the kind of tough love only she could deliver. If you had a problem, she always had the ears to listen.

Although we joke about her life lessons and wisdom, she lived a life full of ups and downs real life experiences that shaped exactly who she was. She was honest, transparent, and always her true self.

Judith was a woman of infinite wisdom, which she gladly shared whether anyone asked for it or not. She lived by her own rules, possessed a sharp wit, and masterfully maintained a lifelong streak of always getting the last word. We suspect she is currently negotiating the terms of her arrival with her heavenly father right now.

She leaves behind her two children and their spouses, Robin and Jonathan Minkin, and David and Patricia Whittaker; her cherished grandchildren; her beloved Dog Marcus, her treasured Ponce Inlet community; generations of her daycare babies; and countless devoted friends whom she loved as true family.

A graveside service will be held July 11, 2026, at 1pm at the Hamilton Cemetery in Hamilton, MA. A celebration of her beautiful life will follow later in the fall on October 24, 2026, at Down the Hatch for close family and friends, with more details to follow. In honor of her unmatched generosity, please consider doing an unexpected act of kindness for a child or family in need today.

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