Judith Ann “Jude” Refalo

Judith Ann “Jude” Refalo, age 60 years, of Kingwood Township, NJ, died peacefully on Sunday, January 5, 2020 at Rolling Hills Care Center, Clinton Township, NJ.

Born in Delhi, NY, March 26, 1959, daughter of the late Bruce and Nancy Beck Freeman, she was raised in Cherry Hill, NJ and had lived in North Berwick, ME, Seabrook Island, SC, and Bridgewater, NJ prior to moving to Kingwood Township several years ago.

Earning her BS in Statistics from Rutgers University, Jude was a conscientious and dedicated worker whose integrity and industriousness led her to serving as Vice-President of North American Product Development for Dunn & Bradstreet, Short Hills, NJ. She retired in 2012 after a long and successful career.

Full of life, Jude was vibrant, passionate, compassionate and loving. Driven to be successful in all that she did, her personality was one of a giver. She was always there for others and encouraged them by leading by example and showing people that there was nothing they could not accomplish if they set their minds to it.

Her pride and joy in life was her daughter, Maura, whom she raised as a single mother. Maura fondly recalls that her mother loved fiercely and sacrificed herself each day to ensure that she had whatever she needed to be successful. Jude was especially happy to see Maura find her true love, Brandon, and the two made her the dotting “Gigi” of Gunnar and Penelope.

In the early 2000’s, Jude would find her true love while enjoying another love, riding her Harley. It was on a Harley trip where she met John Refalo and the connection was instantaneous, not just between them, but also with Maura who John adopted after they were married in 2011. John and Jude’s connection grew each and every day since their first meeting and though their time together was shorter than it should of been, the two never wasted a moment and set an example of love for their grandchildren to admire.

Riding Harley’s was a passion Jude developed when she was younger and could not afford a car; she saved enough money for a motorcycle and was simply hooked. Loving the outdoors, riding also appealed to her love of nature. Always the adventurer, Jude also greatly enjoyed the water and sailing.

The author Brene Brown once wrote, “To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees-these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning  that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude, and grace.”

Jude surely lived her life with joy, gratitude and grace, and her legacy inspires all who knew her to always step outside of their comfort zone and take the chance to truly live each day to its fullest.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her stepmother, Marjorie Kler Freeman, and her mother-in-law and brother-in-law, Shirley and Steve Refalo.

Surviving are her husband, John; her daughter and son-in-law, Maura and Brandon Chadwick; her grandchildren, Gunnar and Penelope; a brother and his partner, David Freeman and Kelly Carr; a brother, Mark Freeman; a brother-in-law, Mike Refalo; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Rich and Allison Refalo; a brother-in-law, Rob Refalo; a sister-in-law, Lynn Boysel; her nieces and nephews, Dana Freeman, Sarah Freeman, Kara and Michael Collins, Rich and Krista Refalo, and Helen Refalo; her four-legged companions, Pippi, Serona, Lilly, Daisy and Belu; several extended family members; and many friends made around the world on her adventurers.

Life celebration services and cremation at the Chapel of Ewing Crematory, Ewing Township, NJ, are private under the care and direction of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ.

Please visit Jude’s permanent memorial site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a memorial candle, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of her life.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to Somerset Regional Animal Shelter in Jude’s honor. Please click HERE to be taken to the donation page. For those who wish to make a contribution via mail, please make checks payable to “In Memory Of” and send to P.O. Box 5472, Charlottesville, VA 22905. Kindly note ‘Judith Refalo’ in the memo.