Judith Joan Baum passed away on August 3, 2026, at the Haven Hospice Custead Care Center in Orange Park, Florida at the age of 73 after an extended hospital stay to identify and treat a combination of rare debilitating autoimmune diseases.

Born in Yonkers, New York, to Charles Judson and Joan Emma Chedester, Judy spent her formative years in Darien, Connecticut. As a young girl, she was active in the Girl Scouts and developed a lifelong love for the outdoors while learning to sail at the Darien Boat Club. She continued her education, graduating from the University of New Hampshire with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and while there continued her outdoor pursuits with hiking, camping, and canoeing, plus met her husband while borrowing a football. Professionally, Judy excelled as a secretary for a New Jersey based insurance company and moved into a role managing their employee education resource library.

Over the years, Judy built a life centered on family, faith, and service to her community. She was a woman of many talents and was particularly well-known for her attention to detail, skills in sewing, and love of nature. She volunteered with the Geneva Presbyterian Church "Helping Hands" ministry, where she was a familiar face for many years fixing sewing machines and participating in numerous handbell concerts. Her commitment to her community also extended to advocacy work, which led to the creation of a new local library.

Judy is survived by her daughter, Laura Baum, and her siblings Deborah Lyons, Richard Chedester, and Robert Chedester, along with their spouses and children. She was preceded in death by her parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to

• Haven Hospice (https://havenhospice.com/donate) or
• The Nature Conservancy (https://preserve.nature.org/page/173850/donate/) or
• Geneva Presbyterian (https://www.genevapresbyterian.org/giving)

To honor Judy’s lifelong love of the outdoors and community plus exceptional care in her last days.

There will be no public memorial service. To share fond memories or funny moments, please email Laura at baum.laura.j@gmail.com