Judy Hennessy was the salt of the earth, an amazing person; an inspiration, a dedicated teacher, all that and more, as expressed by hundreds of people whose lives she touched, and hundreds more who simply held her in their hearts.
They all mourned her passing on Saturday at age 89, sharing their sorrow with her son, Kevin, and daughter, Stacy, on — perhaps fittingly — the National Day of the Horse. A visitation will be held Dec. 21 from 1-3 p.m. at the Sheenan Funeral Home in Dunellen, N.J.
Judy Hennessy
A dedicated 4-H leader in Somerset County, N.J., for 45 years, Judy passed on her knowledge of horse care to so many children who, as a result, grew up learning the right way to do the best for their animals .In 2016, she was named New Jersey Horseperson of the Year, a well-deserved honor.
Judy had a varied work life. She was the first female groom to go overseas with the U.S. Equestrian Team (her favorite team horse was the tall and impressive San Lucas, Frank Chapot’s Pan Am Games medal mount).
The Bridgewater resident helped Jim Wiebe when his saddlery business was in Oldwick, assisted veterinarian Dr. John Walsh and until earlier this year, worked alongside her dog, Mollie, at Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center in Hunterdon County.
“Mom loved horses and loved teaching others about them. She has helped and taught so many through the years. Too many to name,” Kevin said on Facebook.
Stacy recalled, “She taught me to chase my dreams, no matter how far they took me. She taught me to embrace adventures. To go with the flow when it serves me well and to speak up when needed.
“She taught me to encourage others to ride and to get from this sport the many things that it can teach and the incredible experiences it affords us. She taught me to read often, to celebrate the holidays, to appreciate those that do the right thing. Always. She made sure we had the opportunities that were the good ones and pointed us in the right direction.”
Noting his mother hated the cold, Kevin stated, “to respect her love of warmer weather,” a celebration of her life will be held in the spring. Kevin suggested that to honor his mother, those who were so fond of her should “pass along anything she taught you to someone else.”
Margie Margentino, Judy’s friend for 43 years, called her “a true horseman. Not just somebody who got on a horse and rode. She knew the insides and outsides of a horse, as far as care, nutrition, lameness. She could braid a horse and not a hair out of place.”
What she learned from Judy “made me a better horseman, made me really think about the horse and what the horse’s needs are. There’s a lot more to horsemanship than riding.”
Margie added, “The word `quit’ was not in her vocabulary. Her big thing was education. She wanted the kids to learn. She taught me you’re never going to bond with your horse unless you’re there on the ground with that horse doing all the grooming, the mucking, the feeding. She instilled that in me and hundreds and hundreds of 4-H kids.”
Comments on Kevin’s social media post included one from Barbara Navatto calling Judy “an inspiration to all of us. A wonderful woman of incredible strength (and humor).”
Said Lisa Allocco, “She is a legend. Thank you to her for teaching all of us at very early age. There’s probably not one person on the East Coast she didn’t have an influence on.”
Lisas Nolte Salakian told Kevin and Stacy, “Your mom was ahead of her time and (a) trailblazer. Your mom was kind enough to braid my horse for the Maclay finals way back when. I sat on the trunk and we chatted while she braided. Her kind words eased some of the nerves and it is a memory I will always cherish.”
Ralph and Holly Caristo told Judy’s children, “Your mother was such a great person inside and out.”
Offering her condolences, Amy Butewicz said “Judy was a legendary horsewoman and touched the lives of so many. Her joyful, fun spirit was contagious. It was an honor to be part of her national 4-H Horse Bowl and Hippology teams many moons ago. We had some epic adventures on our trips to nationals in Louisville, Ky. I was so proud to be coached by her. She gave so much back to youth. Her heart was larger than life.”
Michelle Kirsch recalled that “Judy was one of my 4-H leaders, and later became one of my children’s leaders, as well — a rare and special full-circle gift. Mrs. Hennessey was truly a pillar of our local equine community and a true horsewoman in every sense of the word. She taught generations that the horse always comes first, and that lesson will live on through all of us she guided. Her impact, wisdom, and love for horses will never be forgotten.”