Obituary of Judy Nash

WESTFIELD – Judith A. (Palmer) Nash, 83, of Westfield, NY, passed away Tuesday, April 28, 2020, at Chautauqua Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of Dunkirk, NY following a lengthy illness.

  Judy was born on February 26, 1937, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the daughter of Walter and Frances (Rudy) Palmer. She attended Creston High School in Grand Rapids and graduated second in her class of 224 students. She had a life-long love of music, and played bass in the senior band and glockenspiel in the marching band; she also played piano. Judy graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Michigan and taught nursing at UM.

  Judy moved to Westfield and married Donald M. Nash, Sr. on March 25, 1972. She attended St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, where she sang in the church choir and was a member of the alter guild. Judy was a frequent volunteer in the community. She delivered food for Meals on Wheels, volunteered at the Westfield Community Kitchen soup kitchen at St. Peter’s, at the Food Pantry at the Methodist church, and also at the Patterson Library. Hobbies included music, gardening, and rooting for Michigan Wolverines football (Go Blue!); she briefly played bass with the New Horizons band at Fredonia State.

  Judy was an avid bridge player and enjoyed her weekly games with her bridge groups. She was a skilled gourmet cook and loved hosting large family dinners. Another love was sailing the Great Lakes with her husband, Don, and their family.

  Professionally, Judy helped many people in Westfield as a registered nurse; she worked in the OR at Westfield Memorial Hospital and later for the office of Dr. Russell Elwell.

  Judy is survived by her two sons, Brett A. (Sonia) Collins of Evergreen, CO, and Brian E. (Susan) Collins of Montclair, NJ, and her two daughters, Brenda N. DiMillo of West Seneca, NY, and Ellen J. (Jon) Bates of Portland, OR. She is also survived by her ten grandchildren, Rachel H. Nash (Andrew Gagnon) of San Francisco, CA, Miles N. DiMillo of Buffalo, NY, Gracia E. Nash of Rochester, NY, Cadence C. Nash of Portland, OR, Adam J. DiMillo of West Seneca, NY, Maxwell C. Bates of Portland, OR, Michelle J. Bates of Portland, OR, Harlan K. Collins of Montclair, NJ, Walter Q. Collins of Montclair, NJ, and Kevin E. Collins of Evergreen, CO. Judy is also survived by her four siblings, Joyce (David) Moss of Dryden, MI, Art (Keasha) Palmer of Belmont, MI, Mike Palmer, of Phoenix, AZ, and Kathy (Steve) Lewicke, of Grand Rapids, MI and North Port, FL.

  Besides her parents, Judy was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 38 years, Donald M. Nash, Sr., and by her son, Donald M. Nash, Jr.

  Alongside her graduation portrait in her high school yearbook was the quote, “Upon her face a pleasant smile she wore; she frowned when life required, but frowned no more.”

  Due to current restrictions on social gatherings, memorial services will be announced at a later date. Contributions in Judy's memory may be made to the Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation, 189 East Main Street, Westfield, NY 14787. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Mason Funeral Home of Westfield, NY. Log on to www.masonfuneral.com to send the Nash family a message of sympathy, to light a memorial candle or for further information.