Obituary of Judith Ann Schacht

Judith Ann Butterfield Schacht April 11, 1942 – February 14, 2023 Judith Butterfield Schacht died peacefully on Valentine’s Day morning of complications from COVID and COPD. She was born and raised in Philadelphia, her one and only true home town, even though in her long and full life she also lived in Delaware, Puerto Rico, Memphis, West Virginia, and finally “down the shore,” in Cape May, NJ. She loved Mack’s pizza, the Wildwood boardwalk, The Sound of Music, Disney movies, the Phillies, and crocheting warm and beautiful gifts to share. She despised Brussels sprouts and social inequity with a fiery passion. She loved cars and driving, frequently over the speed limit – fast enough to break the rules but (usually) not fast enough to get a ticket. Judy loved and was loved by many, including her sister, Betty Gilreath; her four kids (especially her favorite, which was all of us): Amy Schacht, Rebecca Schacht, Melissa Agee, and Jay Schacht; her niece and nephew Cyndi and Alan Hoelzle, and nephews Kyle and Christopher James. She was Beach Nana to six grandkids: Ben Whong, Jake Henley, Oliver Whong, Grace Henley, Wyatt Henley, and Ruth Schacht, all of whom brought her endless joy and whom she loved without limit. She had great affection and appreciation for her brother-in-law, Miles Gilreath; and her sons-in-law, Paul Whong and James Agee. Judy was all-in with everything she did. As a stay-at-home-mom, she drove us kids all over creation for extracurricular activities, made thousands of home-cooked, nutritionally balanced meals for six, sewed matching outfits and Halloween costumes, and taught us the importance of making the world a better place. After getting her master’s degree and leaving West Virginia, she worked for many years at Ferris School, Delaware’s juvenile detention facility for adolescent boys. She believed that every child deserved to be loved and to know how to read. She dedicated her training and talent as a special education teacher to make that happen for the kids many others had given up on. Judy was perhaps the most extroverted person in human history and loved telling stories to anyone she encountered. She was witty and sarcastic, and her mind moved at the speed of light. She had friends far and wide. She especially loved the babies at the Cape Regional Medical Center Early Education Center, where she volunteered and worked with her dear friend Maureen Kersch. We are eternally grateful her neighbors Mike and Carey Sattler, who were so supportive of her in her final years. May we all be so fortunate as to be surrounded by such kindness in times of need. We miss Judy terribly and are grateful for the time we had with her. If you would like to join us to celebrate her life, join us at 5pm on Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Sunset Beach, 502 Sunset Blvd in Cape May. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to one of the following: For children affected by the earthquake in Syria and Turkey: https://www.unicef.org/emergencies/Syria-Turkiye-earthquake For the hungry of her beloved home city of Philadelphia: https://www.philabundance.org or the charity of your choice. (If you smoke, there are resources to help you quit. Visit www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/index.htm.)