Judith Ann” Judy” (Hiesberger) Vaillancourt, of Goshen, NY, for many years an educator in her community, passed away on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, at home in Goshen.
Born and raised in Jefferson City, Missouri, she was the daughter of the late Anton and Elizabeth Hiesberger. She graduated from Helias High School in Jefferson City, MO, and from St. Mary University in Leavenworth, KS and completed graduate studies at Fordham University in New York City.
During her career as a teacher she attended many other colleges and universities, including Columbia Teachers College and Fairfield University, to keep abreast in the profession that she loved. But she always said that her greatest education came from the people whom she met and the places she had been.
She married the love of her life, Thomas “Tom” Vaillancourt, in 1972, and with him enjoyed many travels in this country and abroad. Together they owned Croton Stamp Company, a business that provides stamps for collectors and investors.
Judy initially taught school in Kansas and Missouri. Then, as a member of the New York State Teachers Assn., she taught in Blauvelt, NY, Briarcliff, NY and Middletown, NY, where she was a classroom teacher as well as a teacher trainer and staff developer for the Middletown School District and the Middletown Teacher Center.
As a creative and enthusiastic educator, Judy organized stamp collecting clubs for her students, coached Odyssey of the Mind, created curriculum for the classroom teacher and served as a teacher mentor in the Mentor/Intern program. While teaching in Briarcliff, NY, she taught, produced and edited a student made cable TV program in Tarrytown, NY.
As an advocate for young people, she served on the Committee for the Handicapped in the Goshen, NY, School District, was a volunteer at Rockland State Psychiatric Youth Center, was Secretary of the Children’s Enrichment Committee of Orange County and, more recently. was president of that organization.
When her son, Andre’, served in the United States Marine Corps, Judy and her husband organized a support organization for the parents of deployed service members, under the authority of Project Liberty of Orange County, New York.
For many years, Judy and her husband volunteered with RAIN, an organization that closely supported individuals with the AIDS virus.
Active in many churches over the years, Judy has been a choir director, organist and sacristan. As a member of a Christian renewal organization called Cursillo, she was a retreat weekend speaker. She also enjoyed interfaith and nondenominational experiences.
Judy dabbled in writing from time to time, doing work for greeting card companies andediting the books of a local writer. She inspired people with her artistichandmade greeting cards and personal poetry messages. She also enjoyedbroadcasting for Radio Vision for the Ramapo Catskill Regional Library beforethe broadcast studio closed.
One of Judy’smore recent interests was photography which she approached as an artist usingher artistic skills to photo-edit and to create multimedia slide shows. Sheoften photographed events of friends and club members and presented them with aslide show of memories.
Judy also gave a lot of her time and talent as a member of the Middletown Garden Lovers’ Club, where she especially enjoyed the club’s project of decorating Morrison Hall Mansion on the SUNY Orange campus during the holidays. Her own yard reflected the enjoyment that she received in beautifying the environment. She valued her friendships and her family above all else, and often acted as a catalyst for getting her friends together
She is survived by her loving husband, Thomas Vaillancourt, and her cherished son and daughter-in-law, Andre’ and Amanda Vaillancourt, of Pottstown, PA, her brothers, Dr. John Hiesberger of Columbia, MO and Gerald Michael Hiesberger-Madrone of Victoria, British Columbia. She is predeceased by her brother, Tony Hiesberger, of the Villages, Florida, and her sister, Jean Marie Hiesberger, of Kansas City, MO.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 3 Landmark Square, Suite 330 Stamford, Connecticut 06901 or: The Children’s Enrichment Committee of Orange County, 124 Overhill Road, Middletown, NY 10940
Judy believed in loving and honoring children in her life. Placing their education, both formal and informal, especially the education and enrichment of needy children, was among her highest priorities.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, August 27, from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Donovan Funeral Home, Inc., 82 South Church St., Goshen, NY 10924. A Funeral Service will be held on Monday, August 29th at 10:00 a.m., at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 101 Main St., Chester, NY 10918. Burial will follow in Orange County Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Goshen, NY.