05/10/2026
Judith Ann McCaffrey
Never a friend so true, never a soul so giving. That was our mom.
Judith Ann McCaffrey, lovingly known as Judy, passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 3, 2026, at Tidewell Hospice House in Port Charlotte, Florida, surrounded by her loving husband and two daughters. She was 85 years old.
Born on September 5, 1940, in Mount Vernon, New York, Judy was the beloved daughter of John Daniel McCaffrey and Maywill Swink McCaffrey. She was raised in Mount Vernon alongside her sisters, Patricia Bromback and Marilyn O’Keefe, and attended Sacred Heart School and St. Gabriel High School in New Rochelle.
Judy had a gift for making people feel loved. Her home was always open, her kitchen always full, and no one ever left her presence without feeling cared for. Friends quickly became family, especially her children’s friends, whom she welcomed as her own.
Judy shared 30 loving years with her devoted husband, Bill Langton. Together they built a beautiful life centered on love, family, friendship, and laughter. They shared a love of travel and made countless treasured memories together with family throughout Italy, France, Spain, Disney, and beyond. They also shared a love of decorating and took great joy in turning every house into a warm and welcoming home. Over the past 15 years in Florida, some of their happiest moments were the quietest ones — sitting together with a glass of wine, watching breathtaking sunsets over the lake outside their home.
To her daughters, Jennifer Gordon and Jessica Summers, she was far more than a mother. She was their steady source of comfort, guidance, encouragement, and unconditional love through every stage of life.
One of Judy’s most enduring expressions of love was the handwritten notes she left for her daughters and later for her grandchildren, often decorated with her famous stick-figure drawings. They appeared everywhere — tucked into school lunch boxes, slipped into cards and suitcases, hidden in wallets and cars, or quietly placed inside a dresser drawer to be discovered at just the moment her words were needed most. Those notes became treasured reminders that wherever life led, their mom and grandmother were always with them.
Family was the center of Judy’s world. She cherished holidays, Sunday dinners, family vacations, and the simple joy of having everyone together in the same room.
Judy was endlessly proud of her children, grandchildren, and great-granddaughter, cheering them on in every endeavor and loving them more than words could ever express. She also shared a deeply special bond with her son-in-law, Steve Summers, who she loved dearly for more than 26 years, and held close in her heart Chris Radzion, who brought much happiness to Jennifer’s life.
She was a loving grandmother to Samantha Montanaro, David Summers, John Summers, and Robert Langton, and a proud great-grandmother to Giuliana Montanaro. Her grandchildren and great-granddaughter adored her just as deeply as she adored them, and some of life’s happiest moments were simply spent together laughing, talking, celebrating, and making memories as a family.
Before finding her true calling in nursing, Judy worked as both a hairdresser and a real estate agent. Yet caring for others had always been at the center of who she was. She later attended Norwalk Community College, where she earned the Grace Cole Jones Scholarship and graduated on the Dean’s List in 1994. She went on to dedicate more than two decades to caring for others as a nurse and nursing supervisor, touching countless lives through her compassion, strength, warmth, and kindness. Nursing was never simply a profession to Judy — it was who she was.
Judy lived a life centered on giving to others. Whether caring for patients, supporting friends, or loving her family wholeheartedly, she gave endlessly of herself and asked for little in return. She was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed by her family, her many nieces and nephews, extended relatives, and the countless friends whose lives were brighter because of her love and friendship.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Maywill McCaffrey; her brothers-in-law, Bill Bromback and Ed O’Keefe; and her stepson, Michael Langton.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the extraordinary nurses and caregivers who cared for Judy with such tenderness and compassion during her final days, especially Jeannine during her hospital stay, and Penny, Anna, Aimee, and Dianne at Tidewell Hospice House. Their kindness brought comfort not only to Judy but to all who loved her. A Memorial Mass and Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Judy’s memory to the Tidewell Hospice Foundation.
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