Judith Sara Rice

Judith Sara Rice of Whitby, Ontario, died on September 9, 2024 at 9:12pm at Lakeridge Health Hospital in Oshawa, Ontario, of cancer. She was 70 years old. Judith was born on August 20, 1954, in the district of Hillhead in the Burgh of Glasgow, Scotland, to parents John and Sarah, both from Belfast, Northern Ireland. She was baptised at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow. In 1956, Judith, her mother, and older brother immigrated to Canada, to join her father, who had arrived earlier. She grew up in Toronto, receiving her certification of Canadian citizenship in 1971, and graduating from Forest Hill Collegiate high school in 1973. She went on to study at Queens University in Kingston, receiving a Bachelor of Music in 1987 and a Bachelor of Education in 1988. A gifted musician, Judith began playing French horn at the early age of 12. She played in the Toronto Youth Orchestra from age 15, and in the Kitchener-Waterloo Junior Symphony from age 17. As a teenager, she was awarded a bursary by the Women’s Committee of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Association, and mentored for six years under Barbara Bloomer, second horn player for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Judith played horn in numerous bands throughout Ontario over the years, including in Kingston, Whitby, and Uxbridge. She was also an adept conductor, piano player and choral singer. Judith had a long and fulfilling career and was a beloved music teacher in the Durham Region for the District School Board. She worked at Gandatsetiagon (1989-1998) in Pickering, and at Walter E. Harris (1998-2014) in Oshawa, Ontario. After retirement, she found opportunities to volunteer, sharing her love of music with youth and other community members. She was an avid knitter, creating beautifully intricate sweaters, aran knits, and other complex projects for friends and family. She also loved to travel, taking many trips across Canada and the US, Mexico, Ireland, and Scotland with her family. Judith is survived by her loving husband Michael Powell and daughter, Kristin Nelson (Blair Fornwald), and by stepsons Greg Powell (Lauren Easson) and Alex Powell (Linzi Leclerc), and grandchildren Felix, Jasper, and Brianna, as well as brother Mark (Randa Kachkar), brother-in-law David Conajaeger, and sister-in-law Lesley Morris, as well as nieces and nephews Sarah, Shannon, Daniel, Henry, Fred, Cherie, Dawn-Marie, and Sean. Judith is preceded by her parents John and Sheelagh ‘Sarah’ (née Shaw) Rice and siblings Pauline Ann Cronjaeger and James Colin Rice. A celebration of Judith’s life will be held from 1:30-4:00 pm on Sunday, October 6, 2024 at The Avalon Lounge at the Port Whitby Marina, 301 Watson St. Whitby, Ontario. Judith’s family wishes to thank the staff at Lakeridge Health for their compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, a donation to OurCancer, a campaign for Lakeridge Health Foundation Cancer Care, can be made by selecting ‘Give In Memory’ under ‘Donation type’ here. Your donations will support the cancer clinic that supported Judith throughout this difficult last journey.