Judith Kennedy Hunt

Judith Kennedy Hunt of McKinney, Texas and formerly of Simsbury and New Haven, Connecticut gently passed into eternal life at home on August 10, 2023, after a brave and dignified battle with ALS.  Judy was born January 28, 1938, in New Haven, Connecticut, to the late Lawrence and Julia Spillane Kennedy. She was an Irish beauty blessed with a beautiful, content and humble spirit, yet make no mistake: she possessed the soul of a warrior.

A lifelong and devoted Catholic, she attended Sacred Heart and St Peters Grammar schools and St. Mary’s High School – Class of 1956, all in New Haven. As a child she was a member of the “notorious” Kimberly Avenue “gang”, an adorable group of neighborhood children who lived and laughed in a time when neighbors looked after neighbors and simple joys like spending summer days with her beloved sisters and cousins at the beach, cheering on the Boston Red Sox, attending Saturday matinees, and window-shopping downtown were magical moments to be cherished and looked forward to.

She attended St. Francis School of Nursing in Hartford, Conn., launching her lifelong career of caring for others as an RN, serving in the fields of geriatrics, labor and delivery, surgery and recovery and oncology. She always strove to do the Lord’s work through her career, and only He knows how many hands she held and how many broken hearts she comforted in her years of care at Irving Community Hospital in Irving, Texas, and Avon and McClean Nursing Homes in Avon and Simsbury, Conn., respectively.

She was married on October 8, 1960, to William Patrick Hunt Jr. at St. Joseph’s Church in New Haven, Conn. Totally adoring and devoted to each other in good times and bad, they remained steadfast in their faith as they journeyed through life hand in hand. It was his hand she was holding when the end drew near. Together they raised five children, crisscrossing the country for Bill’s work, first in Newport, Rhode Island as newlyweds, with moves following in quick succession to Massachusetts, Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, and back to Connecticut, returning to Dallas to enjoy their retirement. It’s true when they say, “You can take the girl out of Connecticut, but you can’t take Connecticut out of the girl,” and so they returned every year to New England, always by car, always with Bill at the wheel, always with Bing Crosby playing on the stereo, and always exploring the back and windy roads, taking their time and basking in the adventure of their road trips.

She adored George Strait (he’s so fine), and her favorite movie stars Paul Newman, Cary Grant (Judy, Judy!), Glenn Ford, and William Holden.

Judy loved to knit and was an avid reader who could beautifully discuss art, politics, history, and religion, but always with an informed perspective that engaged conversation and affirmed the point of view of others.  She lived by the motto: charity to all, malice toward none.

As a mother of five children – four boys and a girl – she presided over a home of controlled chaos where if one child wasn’t breaking a bone, another was cutting a finger and needing stitches, while still another went in search of free puppies – without permission – missing for hours only to be safely returned in the front seat of a police cruiser.

She was beloved by her children’s friends as a second mother, and remained a rock to them as they became adults and ventured through their lives.  As a young mother she served as a volunteer leader and nurse for Camp Fire Girls, taught CCD, supported PTA, attended countless dance recitals, school plays, baseball, football, and soccer games, cheerleading and drill team performances, band concerts, high school graduations, a U.S Marine graduation, college and law school graduations, and danced at all of her children’s weddings. As a grandmother, she picked up with the next generation where she left off with the last: always there, the beautiful Grammie with her guy, Grampa.

She is survived by her husband of 63 years, William; sons William Patrick Hunt III of Denver, Daniel Kennedy Hunt and his wife, Cynthia of Wiley, Texas; David Lawrence Hunt, and his wife, Elizabeth of Celina, Texas; Brian Joseph Hunt, and his wife, Amy of Dallas; daughter, Kathryn Ann Siwald, and her husband, Michael of Allen, Texas; daughter-in-law, Jennifer Clifton; Grandchildren: Brittany Siwald Randecker and her husband, Reid; Margaret Hunt, Emma Hunt, Julia Hunt, Zoe Hunt, Riley Hunt, Sean Hunt, Stephen Hunt, Brian Hunt, and Austin Hunt. She was predeceased in death by her parents Lawrence and Julia Spillane Kennedy, beloved sisters Patricia Kennedy and Mary Kennedy Baldino, and brothers-in-law Edward Fitzgerald and Patrick Hedge, and nephew Jason William Hunt. She is survived by her sister Joan Kennedy Fitzgerald of North Haven, Conn., and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

As her husband, William shares, “Everyone who knew Judy said she was a saint.

Well, they were right. Because she was. She is. And now – it’s official.”

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney, Texas on Monday, September 25, 2023, at 10:00 a.m.

Interment will be at All Saints Cemetery in North Haven, Connecticut on Saturday, October 7 at 11 a.m.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations for ALS research and to spend time in prayerful reflection counting your blessings, for life is precious. As her husband, William shares, “Everyone who knew Judy said she was a saint.  Well, they were right. Because she was. She is. And now – it’s official.”