Judith Ann (Roche) Wheaton, 77, of Milford, passed away peacefully after a prolonged illness on November 6, 2020.
Born in Framingham, April 25, 1943, the daughter of the late George Francis (Lieutenant, MSP) and Edith Sarah (Abbott) Roche, Ms. Wheaton had previously resided in Woburn, Cambridge and, most recently, Franklin.
Having attended Framingham High School, she was a graduate of the Nursing School of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She went on to attain her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Salem State College (now University) in 1988.
Judith’s career in nursing and case management spanned a total of 46 years beginning in 1965, including stints at Winchester Hospital, New England Rehabilitation Hospital, Boston Specialty and Rehab Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
In addition, she served in community health programs with Visiting Nurses of Middlesex East, and at Barbara McInnis House/Boston’s Healthcare for the Homeless.
After her eventual retirement in late 2011, she volunteered her time to help serve meals at the Franklin Senior Center.
Judith enjoyed photography, birdwatching, antiquing, and caring for her beloved dogs, Lily, a miniature dachshund who was her companion until 1999, and Millie, a pom-chi mix, since 2012. She loved to explore the coast of Maine on driving trips with her sister and nieces and made frequent visits to Boothbay Harbor.
She was preceded in death by her former husband Thomas Lloyd Wheaton of Woburn, who was born in 1942 and passed in 1999.
She is survived by her son, Thomas Edward Wheaton and son-in-law Frank D. Hering of Littleton, MA, her daughter Carolyn Ann Kane-Fountain of Rockport, MA, her grandsons Owen Francis Wheaton and Thomas Joseph Kane, and great-grandson Damian Joseph Kane.
She is also survived by her sisters, Mary Sarah Roche-Mahdi of Cambridge and Nancy Courtney of Napa, CA, as well as nieces Rachel Gerstein of Santa Rosa, CA, Rebekah Gerstein of Cambridge and Jennifer Courtney of Napa, CA., and nephew Dennis Courtney of Long Beach, CA.
Burial will be on Saturday, November 14 in the Roche family plot at Union Street Cemetery, Franklin at Noon.
Please follow all required Covid-19 guidelines including face coverings and social distancing.
In lieu of flowers or other tokens of condolence, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), 225 Michigan Avenue, 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601.
Arrangements are under the care of the Ginley Funeral Home Franklin (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com).