Judy Hay Pochini died peacefully in her home in Santa Barbara on June 21, 2022, after a short illness. She was 90 years old.
Judy Hay Pochini was born in 1932 in Phoenix Arizona, the daughter of Cecil and Nadine Cook. She spent most of her childhood and young adult life in Santa Barbara, California. She graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1949 and The University of California at Santa Barbara in 1953. From 1958 to 1964, Judy worked as an Executive Secretary, first at Mobile Oil Corporation and then at Kaiser Aluminum. In 1965 she completed a Master of Art in Journalism from the University of California, at Berkeley and thereafter embarked on an eight-year career at Sunset Magazine as an editor. Her experience at Sunset magazine led her to a career in Interior Design. She led her own Interior Design firm for several decades at one time being listed as a Notable Designer by Marquis Who’s Who.
In addition to her successful careers with the Fortune 500, Sunset Magazine and Interior Design, Judy was dedicated to many civic organizations including The American Association of University Women, of which she was president from 2002-2004, the University of California Alumni Association and Chi Omega, the International Furniture and Design Association, Women in Communications, and other local charities and Arts organizations.
Judy was a lover of music. She was in regular attendance at the Santa Barbara Symphony, Camerata Pacifica, Santa Barbara Opera, Los Angeles Opera and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She was a supporter of the Music Academy of the West, where her sister Jean, who predeceased Judy, had been a Wagnerian soprano.
Judy was predeceased by her husband and one cousin. She is survived by two cousins, two stepchildren and many step-grandchildren. She lived in both Santa Barbara and Palm Desert at the time of her death.
Contributions in her memory can be made to:
Unity Church
227 East Arrellaga Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
