Obituary of Mary Judy Anna Landry

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beautiful Wife, Mother, Nana, Sister, Aunt, Marraine, and best friend Judy Anna Landry of Louisdale, Nova Scotia on March 13th, 2025. She fought for many years against numerous medical issues with both strength and grace and, despite our heartache, we take comfort in knowing she is finally at peace. Like her mother before her, Judy was the beloved matriarch of our family. Her undying love and light brought us all together on countless occasions and taught us the importance of family. Some of her favorite times were spent watching us enjoy a meal she had spent hours preparing for us. She loved us in many ways, but cooking for us filled her with a joy that was unmistakable. Her kitchen was her favorite place to be, and she spent her time there pouring her heart into gravies and dressings, meat pies and garden stews, biscuits and boiled dinners, cheesecakes and squares. She always made sure everyone else was fed before she would eat, serving huge pieces of the desserts she had made. These amazing meals would often lead to an evening of card playing and laughter. The times we have all spent together making memories around the dinner table have been a blessing we will always be thankful for. Like her father before her, Judy was a champion of education. She spent her 33 year-long career as an educator fostering a love of reading and helping to shape the futures of countless children. She taught her family to be independent and self-sufficient, to have self-respect and inner strength, and to appreciate the importance of setting a goal and working hard to achieve it. She sacrificed to ensure we got the best education and was always so proud of our accomplishments. She loved attending the graduation ceremonies of her children, nieces, and nephews, especially alongside her own father when he was still able. Their guidance helped motivate us to take advantage of every opportunity we had to create a better life for ourselves, and for that we will be forever grateful. Throughout her career Judy met many educators who were equally as dedicated as she was, leading to the development of lifelong friendships. The many years she and her husband Gerald spent volunteering with the Lions and Lioness Clubs allowed them to spend time with many of their closest friends while giving back to the community and church they loved so much. Their “camping family” at Whiddens also played a pivotal role in their lives during many Summers spent in Antigonish. Judy’s friends meant the world to her, and she freely shared her gifts of love and compassion with them. She could often be heard recounting stories of their many adventures together, and she was blessed to have had such wonderful people in her life. Judy was born in Louisdale, Nova Scotia, on May 20th, 1950, the second child of six for Dorothy and Raymond Marchand. She is survived by her devoted husband of 54 years, Gerald, whose dedication to her care was a testament to his unending love for her; her two beautiful children Vanessa Benoit (Lenny), Upper Tantallon, and Jean-Claude (Donna MacPherson), Orleans, ON; her two beloved grandchildren Caleigh and Joshua, who were the absolute lights of her life; her wonderful brothers and sisters-in-law, Lionel and Shirley (Pitcher) Marchand, Port Hawkesbury, and Stanley and Paulette (Dugas) Marchand, Louisdale, who provided endless love and support and were by her side to the very end; and her nieces and nephews whom she loved like her very own. She is also survived by two additional siblings: Wade (Zelia) Marchand, Fall River, and Marcel Marchand, Louisdale. She was predeceased by her parents Raymond and Dorothy Marchand; her older brother Carl Marchand, who died in infancy; her mother and father-in-law Delore and Bernadette Landry; her brother-in-law Roy (Donna) Landry; her sister-in-law Helen (Delore) Landry; her cousin Stephanie Marchand, with whom she had a very special relationship; and many aunts and uncles whom we know welcomed her with open arms, beautiful music, and a deck of cards. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the wonderful staff of C. H. Boudreau Funeral Home in Arichat. Visitation will take place on Friday, March 28th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm in the Glen Samson room of the St. Louis Parish Church, Louisdale. The funeral mass will take place on Saturday, March 29th at 11:00am at St. Louis Parish Church and will be presided over by Fr. Duncan MacIsaac. A reception will be held after mass at St. Louis Parish Hall, Louisdale. Donations can be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada in Judy’s honor. “How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!”