After earning a BA in English from Seton Hill University and an M.Ed. from the University of Pittsburgh Judith taught elementary school for ten years and then devoted her time to being a full-time mother. She has had a variety of part-time jobs and considers herself a “perennial” volunteer. For over twelve years she has been actively engaged in a variety of volunteer projects for cancer patients, families who have lost babies, and hospice-care patients (including creating and stitching over 750 bears for bereaved families). One of her favorite activities for the past seven years has been taking her certified therapy dog to visit cancer and hospice patients, children’s medical facilities and nursing homes. Judith enjoys nature, reading, poetry, gardening, crafting and knitting. She has been blessed with three amazing adult children and fourteen grandchildren. She lives with her husband and their two rescue pups in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania.