Judy Lenzi-Magoveny died peacefully on January 9, 2018 at the age of 76 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s. Born and raised in New Haven, CT, Judy lived and worked in the area all of her life.
Judy received her MA from SCSU. Her great passion was the theater and she taught a variety of theater classes at both Hopkins School and at Southern Connecticut State University, both in New Haven. Judy loved going to the theater and ventured into New York City whenever she could to see the latest shows on Broadway. She also performed in many community theater productions; she loved an audience.
Judy was small in stature, but she lived large. She loved to travel, with friends or with her students, and explored distant places like Vietnam, the Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Europe, Russia and the Antarctic, amongst others. She would regale her friends with stories of her adventures in foreign lands, but a special place in her heart was saved for Fishers Island.
Judy loved Fishers: the beaches, the parties, the people and the way of life. She had many friends on the island, as she had lived here year-round for a few years in the early 70’s. She had worked for The Farms (before it became FI Utility Co.) and during that time had lived in a rented apartment on the Fort stretch. She could recall the years when there were 5 bars on Fishers, and told many a story about her escapades after work! Judy was the Director of IPP (Island People’s Project) for many years in the early 80’s, and she later directed two of the FI School’s productions, “Bye Bye Birdie” in 2007 and “Shakespeare Goes to Gravel Gulch” in 2014. She also tried her hand at retail, talking many customers into an expensive bottle of wine at Hair of the Dog and was occasionally seen manning the cash register at Topper’s on busy 4 of July weekends.
A daughter of the late George and Phyllis Ruggiero Lenzi, Judy was also predeceased by the love of her life, her husband Lance Magoveny and a loving nephew George J. Lenzi, Jr. She leaves her brother George J. Lenzi, of FL and many devoted family members and friends.
Amongst her friends, she will be remembered for her stories, her enthusiasm for life, her sense of humor and her compassion for all people. She was loved and will be greatly missed. Donations can be made in Judy’s name to IPP, PO Box 523, Fishers Island, NY 06390.
“Some of the color has gone out of the world.”
~ Quote from a friend of Judy’s on hearing of her death
