Remembering Judy Stewart

Tyronne Walker ('02): I came to Brother Martin as an energetic and eager student but also as a minority - both racially and religiously. These facts were not a concern to me most times because of people like Ms. Stewart. She was the first person to help me see the value in the diver­sity I brought to experiences. ...
Ms. Stewart taught me how to listen. She had a way of looking into your eyes as if you were the only person who mattered in the world.
During my junior year, my baby brother died in my arms after a freak accident. So many from the Brother Martin Community supported me. Not long after the funeral, Ms. Stewart asked me to share my story at a student retreat. While everyone knows I'm not a shy person, this was an extremely difficult time for me, and I wasn't eager to speak about many things. Because of the trust I had in her, I shared and, man, I'm grateful I did! It was as if she knew that the moment I began to speak, a weight would be lifted and the enormous hole in my heart would begin to close.

Gary Van Vrancken ('02): I was blessed to be a student and Eucharistic minister under Ms. Stewart. She was the only person who looked past my behavioral issues and deepened my faith. Without her guidance I'm not sure I would've graduated from Brother Martin.

Michael Gervais ('11): God called one of his best angels up to heaven. She was one of the most influential people in my life. The love, joy, and spirit that she brought to the Brother Martin Community is irreplaceable. I have never before met someone who I truly felt exemplified God's Word more than Ms. Stewart.

Joseph Schluter ('13): Judy Stewart was and shall always remain a leader, a model for me and my faith, and a loving presence around Brother Martin High School. At a time when I felt nameless in my life, she remembered my name.

Sharon Rodi: I attended grammar school and high school with Judy. She was so special ... she always had a smile, a good word, deep compassion, and set an example to all of us of what it means to be truly Christian. She'll be sadly missed by her Dominican 1960 classmates and all who knew her.

Katherine Saux, Oakland, California: Judy was a great inspiration to me, her little cousin. Her love for and trust in God were exceptional, and her life was one of generous, loving service to others. Plus, she knew how to laugh! So many wonderful memories. I am very grateful to have been part of Judy's family.

Judy with her grandchildren

As her cousin Katherine reminds us, we shouldn't forget Judy's sense of humor. She didn't take herself too seriously.

English teacher Tom Leggett: My most interesting memory of her was a discussion about what it was like to be cloistered in a convent in the early 1960s. She and her sister nuns were so closed off from society that, after she was released from her vows, her friends and family were shocked at how little she knew of current affairs. "People were amazed that I had never heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis," she said. "But they were even more astounded that I had never heard of Johnny Unitas, who of course by then was a household name."

John Devlin: Soon after we got word that Judy was planning to move to New Orleans, she made an appointment to meet with me. I had met Judy but did not know her well. However, her reputation preceded her, and I was looking forward to meeting this very special lady who had made such a positive impact on the Bears in Baton Rouge. Here's the thing: Judy was coming in to see me hoping we would consider hiring her. I was meeting with her hoping she would consider coming to work for us! Needless to say, the "formal" part of our interview took about three minutes. That's how long it took for us to figure out that she wanted to be here as much as we wanted her to be here! The rest is history.

Dean Songy: Judy and I went on retreat with the brothers at Rosaryville. Weeklong, silent retreat. We were good for three days. Then Judy came and said, "I can't take it anymore. I gotta talk to somebody." So we rowed out on the lake and talked until we had to get back for the next talk. I rowed in and as she tried to get out of boat in shallow water, it tipped over and we both fell in lake. Soaking wet, we hurried to our rooms and changed clothes. She put all our wet clothes in the dryer including my tennis shoes. The dryer was located next to the room where the talk was given. As the priest gave his talk, you could hear tennis shoes thumping in the dryer. Judy and I would look at each other - the only ones who knew what was going on.