Appreciation: Judith Linscott

We learned a lot from Judy Linscott in the two years that she worked here  at The Lakeville Journal Co., from 2006 until 2008 (when her cancer resurfaced). Of course, if we had said that to Judy, she would have laughed and waved her hand in that way she had and changed the subject. But it’s true. She had an impact on us all.

Of course there was her skill as a proofreader and copy editor for The Lakeville Journal, The Millerton News and The Winsted Journal. In her two years on staff, she streamlined and upgraded our copy editing system, which not only resulted in “cleaner� newspaper copy but also made it possible for other copy editors to fill in seamlessly when she took time off and ultimately left the company.

Readers might have noticed fewer spelling and grammatical errors in their newspapers thanks to Judy. But they probably didn’t realize all the work she did with editors and reporters before the stories went onto the page, spending time on the phone or face to face with us and asking questions until she could untangle a sentence or paragraph, and taking a story from confusing to crystal clear. That’s difficult work, and it was a lesson to watch how Judy could speak to so many different people, with so many personality types, about complex issues and about creative choices — and to see her do it with wit, grace, curiosity and, always, respect.

Anyone who knew Judy, knows that above all else she was a people person. She was a liaison to the community for our newspapers and helped ensure that we think not about what works best for us as editors and reporters but about what would work best for the community and our readers.

And she showed us a model for how a person with strong opinions and a definite personality could happily co-exist with a large family and wide circle of friends. She loved her sisters and enjoyed their differences. She loved her husband, Ezra, and always spoke of him with humor and affection. But most of all, she loved her daughter, Anna — not only loved her, but also enjoyed her.

We will miss Judy, not only for her contributions to our newspapers but also for her laughter, her natural diplomacy, her strength and courage.

­— The staff of The Lakeville Journal

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