Judith I. Dunne (nee Imperato), age 82, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, March 10, 2021 following a 5‑month battle with cancer. She was the wife of the late George Tyrrell Dunne.
Born on March 8, 1939, in Derby to the late Nicholas and Elvira (LaTasse) Imperato, Judy attended Shelton High School where she graduated with Honors as the Salutatorian of the Class of 1956.
She resided in Derby and Shelton during her life. Following high school Judy was immediately employed by Topps Department Stores as their Office Manager for the entire chain.
After marrying Tyrrell in 1960, Judy left the business world in 1963 to raise a family and operated a small bookkeeping and tax service for valley businesses for many years.
Returning to full-time employment in 1975, Judy worked as a bookkeeper for the Press family at Derby retail institution The Fair Shoppe, and retired from the Birmingham Group Health Services as the Supervising Accountant in 2003.
In retirement Judy enjoyed spending winters in Naples, FL with her dear friend Joan Guliano and other Valley snowbirds.
Although she shunned the spotlight, Judy was a familiar face in the local Valley community, volunteering throughout her life in PTA, at My Sister’s Place, the Umbrella and the St. Mary’s Women’s Guild among others.
Her support for women in need was a lifelong passion. Whenever you saw her, Judy always carried a smile and a very strong opinion about people and public affairs.
She was unfailingly kind and maintained lifelong friendships with people she met from childhood into her adult life. She was part of an especially close Shelton High Class of ’56, meeting with “the girls” for monthly lunches, organizing annual class reunions for the better part of these last 64 years(!) or just getting on the phone to catch up with them.
All her friends should know that while she was too weak to chat in her last days, she was aware of the many individual calls, visits, flowers and birthday wishes that she received from all of you. Even if it was only with a raised brow or a sly smile she recognized each of you and every single one of your personal messages, cards and letters – right to her final moments.
Judy was many things, including a fabulous cook and baker who loved good food and kept many of the old family recipes alive, but above all adored her grandchildren, loved having them around, attending virtually every game, performance or milestone in all of their lives, always more proud of each of their accomplishments than all that she herself had done.
Judy is survived by her daughters, Kelly Pelham and her husband, Kevin, with whom she resided in Derby and who cared for her in her final days, Cory Bartone and her husband, Richard, of Derby, her son, Rick Dunne and his wife, Diane (Coppolo), of Derby; and her beloved grandchildren, Mark Cammarata, Jr. of Newport Beach, CA, Gemma Cammarata of Derby, Ali Dunne of Washington, DC, Ricky Bartone of Los Angeles, CA and Ashley Bartone of Waterbury. She is also survived by a sister, Paula Byrne (Charles) of Centennial, CO, two sisters-in-law; Carol Esposito of Derby and Sharon Gesner (John) of Seymour and many dear cousins, nieces and nephews from the Romano, Mascolo, Esposito and Cuda families.
In addition to her husband Tyrrell, Judy was predeceased by her brother, Nicholas (“Pete”) Imperato, her sister, Rozanne (“Rorie”) Cuda and her very special aunt and mentor, Pauline Imperato Romano Conti.
A walk-through visitation for family and friends will be held Monday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Edward F. Adzima Funeral Home, 253 Elizabeth St., Derby.
Everyone attending will be required to wear face masks, and social distancing guidelines will be strictly followed. On Tuesday March 16, 2021, friends will meet directly at St. Mary Church, Derby at 11:00 a.m. for her Mass of Christian Burial. Graveside service will follow at Mt. St. Peter Cemetery. Masks and social distancing will be required in order to attend.
The family requests that memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary Church Ladies Guild, 212 Elizabeth St. Derby, CT 06418 or Umbrella Program at BHCares, 435 E. Main St. Ansonia, CT 06401, https://bhcare.org/giving/. Friends may leave condolences at www.adzimafh.com.
