GREENSBORO – Judy Boyd Dales, 76, a long-time Greensboro resident passed away peacefully on October 9, in the comfort of her home, following a courageous battle with cancer. Her family was at her side.
She was born in Baltimore, Md., the daughter of the late William and Narcissa (Cameron) Boyd. Along with her sister and four cousins, she grew up splitting time at the Highland Lodge and a nearby farm in Greensboro. She graduated from Greensboro High School in the class of 1963, and continued her education at the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y.
On June 18, 1966, she married Gardner Anders “Andy” Dales in Hardwick. They made their home and raised their two sons, Cameron and Christopher, in Mountain Lakes, N.J., and Boonton Township, N.J., where she taught school in various grades. Starting in 1970, the family took several overseas assignments related to Andy’s work, living in Wimbledon, England, as well as Munich and Cologne, Germany. It was during this time that Judy first started quilting, a hobby that would blossom into her life’s work.
Over the years, her passion for quilt making grew into a celebrated body of work and a rewarding career as a professional artist and teacher. She traveled extensively, lecturing and teaching her craft to countless thousands of students over her 40-year career, and developed lifelong friendships with the people she met from all over the world. She was known for the clarity of her artistic vision, as well as her magnificent use of color and signature curved designs, which were considered highly innovative in the world of fiber art. Her work has won numerous awards including the Great American Quilt Contest, celebrating the centennial of the Statue of Liberty, and two of her pieces were chosen as part of the “100 Best Quilts of the 20th Century” by a panel of experts in the fiber field. Her quilts are exhibited in numerous private, corporate and museum collections including the White House Permanent Craft Collection in Washington, D.C., the National Quilt Museum, and the Shelburne Museum in Vermont.
In 2002 Judy and Andy retired in Greensboro, where she became very active in the Greensboro community. In 2016 she received, along with Andy, the Greensboro Award for service to the community. She was a member and moderator of the Greensboro United Church of Christ, the Greensboro Association, and was a founding member of The Greensboro Walking Ladies Society, and of Caspian Arts. Judy loved spending time with her family — teaching her granddaughter to make quilts was a joy for her. She enjoyed singing in the church choir, walking, puzzles, reading, visiting with friends and the yearly organizing of the fall Halloween soup and sandwich gathering. Judy will be missed by all who knew her for her artistry and support to the Greensboro Community.
Survivors include: her husband, Andy of Greensboro, two sons: Cameron and his wife, Kira, of Los Gatos, Calif., and Christopher and his wife, Tracy, of Minneapolis, Minn.; three grandchildren: Ryan, Trevor and Adrienne Dales; a sister Narcissa “Nancy” Gomes of Craftsbury; and a nephew Jack Gomes.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m., on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at the Greensboro United Church of Christ with Pastor Ed Sunday-Winters officiating. An internet video link will be available for those unable to join the family in person and a Celebration of Life will be conducted next summer in Greensboro.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to the Greensboro United Church of Christ, 165 Wilson Street, Greensboro, VT 05841, or to the Greensboro Nursing Home, 47 Maggie’s Pond Road, Greensboro, VT 05841.
Arrangements are in the care of Dian R. Holcomb of Northern Vermont Funeral Service, 60 Elm Street, Hardwick. Online condolences are welcomed at: northernvermontfuneralservice.com
