Judith (Sinclair) Brown

Judy Sinclair Brown passed away on June 22, 2024, on the James River farm that she loved and shared with the many birds that entertained her every day.  Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1930, Judy was always the quiet spirit and welcoming heart of every community she entered.  An only child for the first eight years of her life, she learned from her parents the joys of reading and walking in the woods, always finding small animals to nurture around their depression-era home.  
In 1951, Judy married Jim Brown a few days after graduating from the University of Michigan. Together, they served their country with the CIA during the Korean War, Jim in Korea and Judy in Japan.  Over the next 60 years their spirit of adventure took them on travels around the world, but they always returned to cultivate a garden, first in Toledo where they raised their five children, and later in Scottsville, Virginia where they reclaimed and refurbished a Revolutionary War-era farmhouse and cultivated a new community of friends.  Theirs was a remarkable love affair.
Jim and Judy had six children. Their eldest, Jeff, was born and died in Japan. Their next eldest son, Kirk, died from AIDS in 1991, which led Judy to work tirelessly to build up and volunteer at an AIDS support center in Toledo.  She was a lifelong member of the Philanthropic Education Organization, supporting dozens of scholarships for young women.  For many years, she and Jim volunteered with Meals on Wheels to deliver food to the homebound.  And in her own quiet way, Judy maintained a long list of neighbors and friends, calling them to check on their health, or delivering food when they were in need.  Many thought they were her best friend; that’s how she treated everyone.
Judy was equally passionate about injustice.  At age 89 she traveled to Palestine and Israel with family and friends to witness the injustices and trauma of the region.  After her return, she visited church congregations, synagogues and book groups to share her dismay.  Likewise, she was outraged by the Russian attack on Ukraine, standing up in church on the following Sunday to rally support for Ukrainian defense.
In her later years, Judy focused her passions on communities closer to home.  She and Jim created a youth program to bring all fifth graders from Charlottesville schools to hear the Charlottesville Symphony Orchestra.  Together, they sponsored a joint fellowship between the black congregation of the Chestnut Grove Baptist Church and the white congregation of the Scottsville Presbyterian Church, bridging a lingering gap in the community.  In her last decade, Judy spearheaded the creation of the James River Boys and Girls Club to help the children of Buckingham and southern Albemarle Counties.  On the eve of her death, she was honored at the ten-year anniversary of the Club’s opening.
Judy focused the biggest part of her heart on her children and their families whom she loved with her whole being. She followed the paths of her grandchildren with keen interest, sending articles or notes that might interest them, and never failing to remember a birthday.  She was proud of each of them.
Judy disliked few people and few things, except poison ivy, weeds in her garden, and bad grammar.  She believed in hard work, the healing power of nature, Michigan football, and ice cream.  She was grateful to the many friends and neighbors whose help allowed her to stay on the farm until her passing.  She is survived by 4 children, Scott, Kim, Carrie and Betsy, 13 grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. We will miss her.
In her honor, she would most appreciate a gift to the James River Boys and Girls Club. 

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2024 at the Boys and Girls Club, 300 Page Street, Scottsville, VA.

Family and friends may share memories at www.thackerbrothers.com

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