On Monday, March 10, 2014, we lost one of the most precious people on this earth . . . our Mom, Wife, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister, and friend. Judie was the type of person who loved to make you laugh, and always felt the urge to make people feel like they mattered. She would help anyone she thought needed it, offered encouragement, or a simple smile or a hug, even at times when she didn’t have enough to help herself. We’ve shared more than one Thanksgiving Dinner with a perfect stranger who would leave our table knowing that they meant something, and would always have a place to go. Judie loved boating and fishing with her husband Edward for many years, in what she liked to refer to as a ‘piece of Heaven’, in Chibougamau, Canada. She also spent countless hours making personal handmade greeting cards for everyone she held dear . . . her heart was filled with love and compassion for all. The people who will miss her most are her three children; her son Jerry Higney and his wife Donna, her daughter Melinda St. John, son Glenn Higney & his wife Stacy, and her husband of more than 40 years, Edward Kopjanski. She was also loved by five precious grandchildren; Jason, Jennifer, Justin, and Brianna Higney, & Michael Cichy, along with three great-grandchildren; Lilianna, Ethan & Ava Higney, as well as three step-sons; David, Billy & Ricky Kopjanski. Besides five brothers, James, Robert, William, Dennis & Kevin Keating, and three sisters, Patricia, & Kim Keating, and Penny Parillo, countless nieces and nephews, she will also be sorely missed by her friends and all of those who were fortunate enough to have met her, or whose lives she touched . . . even for a moment. If you met Judie, you would never forget her, and we never will. We will miss you and love you forever. Thank you for being there whenever we needed you most. Rest in peace, sweet angel. XO . . .
A Mass at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 2819 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT will be held at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2014. To honor Judie, do what she believed in most . . . ‘pay it forward’ . . . do something nice for someone . . . not for recognition, not for payment, not because someone else is watching . . . just because.
Ed, We are so sorry for your loss.
Many things have changed over the years, but never the beautiful sparkle in her eyes, and that infectious laugh. I will miss our crazy talks. No matter what we talked about, she never judged. I will love her forever and miss her. Her passing has left a huge hole in my heart.
To Uncle Eddie, Melinda, Glenn & Jerry-
Words can never express to all of you how sad I'am at the passing of Aunt Judie. She was amazing. She was so much more than an Aunt to me, she was my rock, my second mom, one of my best friends. I will never forget the memories we shared, all the laughs, the serious talks, her clown collection…. Aunt Judie was the sweetest, dearest, most giving person I have ever been blessed to know. Thank you for sharing her with all of us. I love all of you, always. Miss you Aunt Judie now and forever. Love your neice, Lisa (Keating) xoxoxoxox
Our condolences to the Keating family. Sorry to hear of the loss of your sister our prayers our with your family.