Judith “Judy” Piper, age 83, passed away on September 25, 2019 at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. She was admired and loved for her intellect and her “can-do” attitude by all who knew her and whose lives she touched.
Judy was born and grew up in Santa Barbara, California. She was the daughter of Harvey James Rudolph and Helen Riggs Rudolph, and was a fourth generation Californian. Her great grandfather, Harvey S. Rudolph, was one of the colonizers of Lompoc Valley. Judy attended Roosevelt Elementary School, La Cumbre Junior High School, and Santa Barbara High School, graduating in 1954. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA in 1958, majoring in Elementary Education.
Judy held a strong value in education. She began her career as a teacher at Bellagio Road Elementary School in Bel Air and then continued in the Hope School District at Vieja Valley School. She married Charles in 1963 after meeting on a blind date several years earlier. Judy then took a break from teaching to raise their two daughters. At that time she was an active, supportive parent at Vieja Valley. In the 1970s she served on the Hope School Board where she was instrumental in making critical decisions that kept Hope Schools as educational models for the Santa Barbara community. After her daughters were grown, Judy continued her teaching career at Cold Spring Elementary School until her retirement.
Judy contributed to many organizations in the Santa Barbara community by giving her time, talent and leadership. She was involved in the Junior League, was a founding member of Las Aletas, an auxiliary to Assistance League, Assistance League, the Visiting Nurses Association, the Medical Society, Kappa Alpha Theta, Santa Barbara Botanical Garden, and the Historical Society. She was a docent for the Santa Barbara Art Museum, Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Historical Museum, and Lotus Land. She was involved with National Charity League, All Saints By the Sea Episcopal Church, and Valle Verde. She also supported the Santa Barbara Symphony and the Civic Light Opera.
Judy was instrumental in organizing a group of Junior League Sustainers into a group of women who enjoyed bridge and each other’s company. Judy was an avid bridge player, and was admired for her outstanding teaching of bridge to hundreds of people. She played and taught at a number of local venues. She was greatly respected and admired for her grace and abilities, and always encouraged others.
In her free time, she enjoyed spending time with her family, gardening, cooking, knitting, genealogical research, and travel.
She is preceded in death by Charles Piper, Jr., her husband of 53 years, and her brother William Rudolph. She is survived by her two daughters, Cynthia Heise (Brant) of Palos Verdes, Susan Nielsen (Erik) of Santa Barbara, four grandchildren Keaton, Trevor, Piper and Carley, brother Charles Rudolph (Charla) of Denver, Colorado, sister Joan Oakley (William) of Santa Barbara, sister Patricia Fligsten (Monte) of Santa Barbara, and sister-in-law Ann Rudolph of Santa Barbara.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, November 2 at 2:00pm at Trinity Episcopal Church at 1500 State St. in Santa Barbara.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Barbara Symphony, or one of the many other organizations
she supported.
