Julia “Judy” H. Flynn, a beloved wife, sister, mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully Feb. 26, 2026, at the age of 82.
She is survived by her son Michael and his wife Danielle; her daughter Julie and her husband Nigel; five grandchildren, Brendan, Colin, Aoife, Imogen and Maeve; and her sister Mary Moore. Judy was predeceased by her husband, Brendan, with whom she was married for 57 years.
Born Oct. 21, 1943, in Red Bank to Michael Hanrahan and Julia (Walsh) Hanrahan, Judy graduated from St. Michael’s School of Nursing. She worked on the maternity ward at Mount Sinai and a pediatrician’s office early in her career, then at Brockway Glass and Marlboro Rehab Facility, before beginning a long career as a visiting nurse for VNA and Meridian.
Judy was a dedicated nurse with a welcoming bedside manner. At the height of the AIDS epidemic, Judy had several HIV patients. She never saw the disease, but rather a patient needing compassion and warmth, and she cared for them until their end. Judy also regularly visited neighborhoods others deemed unsafe, armed with a trunkful of dog treats and candy. The residents became enamored with her and everyone knew “Nurse Judy.”
Judy was also a loving and devoted mother. In the early years, Judy was a parent volunteer in nursery school, a regular on numerous school PTAs and later was a fixture at high school baseball and field hockey games.
Judy was known for her affiliation with sunshine. She wore a gold necklace with a “Mr. Sun” gold charm and both her children and grandchildren know her morning wake-up song. “Good Morning Little Sunshine.” Judy created award-winning Halloween costumes for her children while in Illinois and contributed to the Woodbine Avenue crew winning for their Star Wars ensemble. Judy enjoyed the win more than Michael and Julie, as they weren’t thrilled to be cast as Jawas.
Judy inherited her father’s green thumb and was a passionate gardener. She shared her father’s words of wisdom of “plant ivy, plant grief” and gardening knowledge with her daughter, who also has a yard full of pachysandra, hostas, hydrangeas and snowdrops (Judy’s favorite) and knows to check the weather prior to planting anything before Mother’s Day.
Later in life, Judy’s passion became her grandchildren. She affectionately called them her “five little ones” and was hopelessly smitten with them. She loved hosting them for summer beach vacations in Oceanport. She also loved sharing stories of her youth; her grandchildren are still in disbelief that she traveled to Ireland by boat and rode a donkey down the Grand Canyon.
Judy lived a wonderful life that was marked by compassion, humor, and love.
A memorial gathering with a family eulogy was held May 1 at Thompson Memorial Home, Red Bank.
Two of Judy’s great loves were her family dogs, Duchess and Shay, both rescues. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to a local animal shelter so neglected animals have a safe place to rest while they wait for their “forever homes.” Also be sure to stop and appreciate someone’s garden when you are out for a walk – because odds are they put as much love into it as Judy did.
The article originally appeared in the May 7 – 13, 2026 print edition of The Two River Times.
