Obituary of Judith Huston

JUDITH HONIGSBAUM HUSTON SARASOTA, Fla. Judith (Honigsbaum) Huston died June 17, 2011. She was born April 24, 1922 in Boston, Mass., lived for her first 13 years in Tannersville, N.Y., then moved with her family to Troy, N.Y., Judy graduated from Troy High School where she met the love of her life, Sanford Huston, during their freshman year. Judy and Sanford married in 1943, while Judy was attending Russell Sage College and Sanford was on a weekend furlough from the army during World War II. After graduation from Russell Sage College, Judy taught business education in Watervliet, N.Y., until Sanford returned after the war and they started a family. Judy's parents, Isaac and Florence Honigsbaum, founded Denby's, a department store on River Street in Troy, in the 1930s. While raising her family, Judy worked as the personnel trainer at Denby's. After the death of her father, she and her husband Sanford opened eight additional Denby's stores in shopping malls around the greater Capital District area starting with a branch at Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany, N.Y., in 1968, and ending with a store in Delmar, N.Y., in 1976. The nine Denby stores were sold in 1977 to the Outlet Company. In addition to working at Denby's, Judy was an advocate for educational reform in the Troy public school system, served on the board of trustees of Russell Sage College and participated in Jewish community activities in the Troy and Albany area. After retiring from business, Judy and Sanford lived in Delray Beach, Fla., for over 30 years, and spent summers first in Guilderland, N.Y., and then in Voorheesville, N.Y., playing golf at the Colonie Country Club until deteriorating health kept them in Florida year-round. They moved to Sarasota in 2005 to be near their daughter, Sheri. Judy always enjoyed a good game of bridge, considering it a lifelong challenge. She was blessed with a strong sense of ethics and fair play, a devotion to her family and a love of story telling about family that keeps that history alive for future generations. She was a member of Beth El Synagogue in Troy, for many years, a lifetime member of Hadassah, and a current member of Temple Beth Emeth in Albany. Judy was predeceased by her son Bruce and her brother Frank. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Sanford; and her daughter and son-in-law Sheri and Gerry Lublin of Longboat Key, Fla. She is also survived by two granddaughters, Nancy Lublin and her husband Jason Diaz, the parents of Judy's two great-grandchildren Sydney and Houston of New York City; and Abby Lublin of Troy. Donations in Judith's memory may be made to the rabbi's discretionary fund at Congregation Beth Emeth, 100 Academy Rd., Albany, NY., 12209 or to the cemetery fund of Beth El Synagogue, 411 Hoosick St., Troy, NY., 12180. Private graveside services were held on Sunday, June 19 at Temple Beth Sholom Cemetery in Sarasota, Fla. .A memorial service will be held at Congregation Beth Emeth, 100 Academy Road in Albany on Monday August 8, 2011 at 1:30pm. Friends and relatives are respectfully invited to attend.