The Judith Pipher Memorial Fund
Donation protected
On Sunday, December 30th, 2018, our precious Judith left this world in peace surrounded by her family in Charlottesville, VA after a two-decade long battle with breast cancer.
Carla Judith Nicotra was born 64 years ago in Brooklyn, NY to Joseph and Victoria Nicotra, though she spent the majority of her childhood and adult life in Southern California with her mother and older sister, Lara. She attended primary and secondary school in the Los Angeles area where she met her lifelong best friend, Linda Okerblom.
Judith’s interest in music began in high school, where she studied music appreciation. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in Music in 1977. She dedicated her career to musical education and was a prominent and beloved music teacher in the San Diego area for over 30 years. She touched the lives of countless children during this time, teaching in both the private and classroom setting for students of all ages. Her legacy lives on in the memories of the many children with whom she shared her deep love and passion of music.
Judith’s deepest and lifelong passion was the relationships she cultivated with her loved ones. Judith met her husband Jeff Pipher in 1975 and they were married in 1985 in La Jolla, CA. She and Jeff were an inseparable pair and had a deeply loving marriage. One of their most joyful moments together occurred in 1997 when they welcomed their darling baby boy Jack Alexander into their lives. In addition to her boys, Judith shared incredible bonds with her mother, Victoria, and big sister, Lara Joanne, who cherished her deeply. Judith was like a second mother to her niece, Alexandra (Ali), who adored her. Judith was profoundly committed to her family and was a treasured and integral member of her family unit. She was also a fiercely loyal friend, as evidenced by her enduring friendships from childhood and beyond, including her fifty-year relationship with her best friend Linda and many other cherished friendships such as Pam King and Jeannie Traylor, among many others.
While Judith’s time on this Earth was shorter than her loved ones had hoped for, her strength, perseverance, and bravery in the face of insurmountable odds was a testimony to her spirit. She brightened the lives of all who knew her and used her creative and loving nature to inspire not only her students but her family and friends as well. Wherever Judith was, there was always magic that followed. Though her physical body is gone, her spirit will live on in the hearts and memories of all of the people who cherished her.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to aid her husband, Jeff, in covering final medical expenses and her son, Jack, in his relocation from California to Virginia to be closer to his family at this difficult time.
Carla Judith Nicotra was born 64 years ago in Brooklyn, NY to Joseph and Victoria Nicotra, though she spent the majority of her childhood and adult life in Southern California with her mother and older sister, Lara. She attended primary and secondary school in the Los Angeles area where she met her lifelong best friend, Linda Okerblom.
Judith’s interest in music began in high school, where she studied music appreciation. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in Music in 1977. She dedicated her career to musical education and was a prominent and beloved music teacher in the San Diego area for over 30 years. She touched the lives of countless children during this time, teaching in both the private and classroom setting for students of all ages. Her legacy lives on in the memories of the many children with whom she shared her deep love and passion of music.
Judith’s deepest and lifelong passion was the relationships she cultivated with her loved ones. Judith met her husband Jeff Pipher in 1975 and they were married in 1985 in La Jolla, CA. She and Jeff were an inseparable pair and had a deeply loving marriage. One of their most joyful moments together occurred in 1997 when they welcomed their darling baby boy Jack Alexander into their lives. In addition to her boys, Judith shared incredible bonds with her mother, Victoria, and big sister, Lara Joanne, who cherished her deeply. Judith was like a second mother to her niece, Alexandra (Ali), who adored her. Judith was profoundly committed to her family and was a treasured and integral member of her family unit. She was also a fiercely loyal friend, as evidenced by her enduring friendships from childhood and beyond, including her fifty-year relationship with her best friend Linda and many other cherished friendships such as Pam King and Jeannie Traylor, among many others.
While Judith’s time on this Earth was shorter than her loved ones had hoped for, her strength, perseverance, and bravery in the face of insurmountable odds was a testimony to her spirit. She brightened the lives of all who knew her and used her creative and loving nature to inspire not only her students but her family and friends as well. Wherever Judith was, there was always magic that followed. Though her physical body is gone, her spirit will live on in the hearts and memories of all of the people who cherished her.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to aid her husband, Jeff, in covering final medical expenses and her son, Jack, in his relocation from California to Virginia to be closer to his family at this difficult time.
Organizer
Judith Pipher
Organizer
Charlottesville, VA