‘She lit up every room’ — mother, grandmother who treated all like a friend dies in Surfside
Judy Spiegel was her family’s matriarch and its glue.
She spent most of her life living all over the country as her husband, Kevin, climbed the ranks from firefighter to the CEO of several hospital groups while she raised their three kids and developed a passion for philanthropy.
Most recently, Judy and Kevin were living in Surfside. Their apartment was beachfront, but their main reason for living there was to be close to their daughter, Rachel, and her two daughters, Sloane, 2, and Scarlett, 4.
While Kevin was traveling in California for work on June 24, Judy, 65, was alone in their apartment in Champlain Towers South when the building collapsed. Her remains were identified by police on July 9.
Rachel described her mom as the kind of person who never forgot a birthday or anniversary and who treated everyone as a friend, making lunch for her hairdresser and becoming fast friends with people in Surfside.
“She lit up every room,” Rachel said. “She was a very involved mother and grandmother; we’ve been robbed of the most wonderful person.”
Bonded with her grandchildren
Rachel’s job as the assistant vice president of Baptist Health South Florida meant that she had to keep going into work during the pandemic, so Judy became the primary caregiver for her daughters. She was particularly close with Scarlett, whom she taught to read, write and count during their many days together during the pandemic.
“She loved her grandmother,” Kevin said of their granddaughter, explaining that Judy had a very close relationship with her grandmother when she was growing up and tried to foster the same kind of bond with the grandchildren.
“She was an unbelievable person. Judy really went out of her way for people,” Kevin said. “And she’s gorgeous.”
Kevin and Judy both grew up on Long Island. They met in 1978 in New York City, when Judy was working as a stockbroker at Merrill Lynch. Kevin reminisced about their first date at his father’s house and a James Taylor concert they went to early in their relationship. They got married in 1982 and started a family together.
After their kids were born, Judy stopped working and became deeply involved in volunteer work, specifically in fundraising for hospitals. One project she did that Kevin particularly admired was a hospital artwork program, where she filled a hospital’s walls with art from local artists to replace the drab and generic posters.
“She completely transformed this huge hospital. It makes a big difference; it was unbelievable,” Kevin said.
When the family was living in Ohio some 20 years ago, they saw in the local Jewish newspaper that Holocaust survivor and memoirist Eva Schloss was in town for several speaking engagements. The couple offered to take her out to dinner and Eva and Judy became fast friends. Judy got involved in Eva’s work and started to accompany her on speaking tours. The two spoke every day, Kevin said.
Best friends with one of the Challenger widows
Judy’s other best friend was June Scobee Rodgers, whose husband, Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee, died in the Challenger explosion shortly after takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral on Jan. 28, 1986. The two were deeply involved in the charity that June founded in her husband’s honor, The Challenger Center, which has learning centers around the world for students interested in science, technology, engineering and math.
Judy and Rachel shared a passion for Broadway shows and already had tickets to see “The Music Man” in February 2022.
“We bought four tickets. ... The thought of her seat being empty is the most devastating feeling,” Rachel said. Judy was also a fan of Disney and had planned a trip to Disney World in September for Rachel’s birthday.
Rachel described her mom as active and healthy and said she enjoyed taking daily walks on the Surfside walking path, but said she would indulge in chocolate ice cream every single night, without fail. She said her parents had a close and loving relationship and could tear up the dance floor.
“My parents at weddings ... they’re amazing, they’re great dancers,” she said. “She was my best friend. I lost my mom, my best friend and my cheerleader.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
