Obituaries

It is with great sadness that is to announce that John Joseph Judge (aka Jack or Chopper) passed away on Friday, March 15, 2024, due to complications of long-term COPD.
Born in Scranton, PA, on February 27, 1952. He was the son of the late John P. Judge and Bertha B. (Rodney) Judge. He was a graduate of West Scranton High School and attended the University of Scranton. He was a graduate of Lackawanna College where he played Baseball and Golf and received his associate degree in accounting. He also attended Marywood College for a special degree in medical records. Later in life he returned to college at Misericordia University where he earned his Bachelor of Science in General Studies with a focus on Gerontology and Addictions.
Jack was a veteran of the US Army where he served from 1971 to 1978. As an Army Personnel Specialist, he was involved with the out-processing of troops returning from the Vietnam war. He was activated for the Agnes flood in 1972 in Wilkes-Barre, and again for refugee processing at Forst Indiantown Gap, PA He ended his military services as a Battalion Operations, S3 and S3-Air Specialist 5th Class and as a member of the Pennsylvania National Guard Headquarters Company of the 1st Battalion of the 109th Mechanized Infantry Division in Scranton, PA.
Before retiring, Jack was employed by RCA, GE and THOMSON electronics for 31 years before the plant closed due to NAFTA. He then worked for Clearbrook Treatment Center as a staff drug and alcohol counselor, before moving on to work for the Luzerne and Wyoming County Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services as a caseworker. His last job before retiring, and which he loved the most, was with the PA Department Corrections as a Drug and Treatment Specialist 2 (DATS II) at SCI-Mahanoy, and then SCI-Dallas as a Corrections Counselor where he found his passion working with inmates.
Jack was also a member of the Professional Ski Instructors of America for 39 years and was an original member of the Montage Mountain Ski Area Ski School serving as part of the original group of instructors at Montage Mountain.
Jack was also in recovery for 37 years, and an active member in his home areas. He served as a member of the 12 Step group and was on the organizing committee for Northeast PA Intergroup and held the office of President for two years. He quietly lived his life in the traditional way, as he was taught growing up, living his life as an attraction rather than promotion.
In his early years, he was an avid softball player in the Scranton area, in the 9-man modified fast pitch and 10-man slow pitch leagues. He loved sports and loved watching the Arizona Cardinals and New York Yankees. He also loved watching the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame football team with friends at the Norte Dame Club in Archbald, PA with his with his friend John O. Hearn.
Jack also had an ear for music, his extensive blues collection had over 1,000 CDs, he played the drums and the harmonica, dabbled with the trombone in high school, and during COVID had learned to play the guitar. Throughout his life he regularly attended major blues concerts and festivals all over the country and many of his good friends were part of the music industry.
Jack enjoyed the simple things in life, like going with his close friend Paul Nagy, to Nagy’s Maple Farm, to watch the processing and talk for hours. He cherished going to see Ron Luba to talk about music, cars, skiing, the Yankees, and the Santana concerts they had attended together. He also enjoyed taking friends to concerts and performances at Saratoga Springs Performing Arts Center in New York.
Jack will be remembered as a generous person, whether it was driving friends to their doctor appoints, helping younger people get sober, or helping others obtain employment and direction in life. His generosity always left an impact on others.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Bertha Judge, and his older sister Carole (Judge) Blaco. He his survived by his niece Natalie (Blaco) Kimura, her husband Brian; by his nephew Rodney Blaco and his wife Lia; his nephew Nathan Blaco; and by his great nieces Maeve, Teagan, Hazel and Violet; and his great nephew Greyson. Over the last year, Jack was especially thankful for all the help and assistance that his cousin Wendy Salerno, and her husband Danny provided, as he addressed his medical complications.
The Memorial arrangements are under the care of the Thomas P. Kearney Funeral Home in Old Forge. There will be no viewing, but the services will be at Fairview Memorial Park in Elmhurst Twp. at 10 a.m. on Wednesday March 27th.