Judith Marie Yoviene

Judith Marie Yoviene, age 83, passed away in the hospital with her children by her side, on October 17, 2026, after a short illness. Judy was born on February 14, 1943, in Buffalo, New York to George L. and Natalie (Piersanti) Terkula and she grew up in West Seneca, New York.

Judy was the third of six children, three boys (Donald (Don), Dennis (Denny), Robert (Bobby)) and three girls (Judy, Carol, Audrey), and she was the oldest daughter. When Judy was just eight years old, her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack on a snowy January night after helping a neighbor. In the wake of his passing, Judy took on new responsibilities to help her mother care for their family, showing the same generous spirit. With her mother working to support the family, Judy would walk to the grocery store with only a few dollars in hand to plan and cook for her family of seven. Before her Dad died, Judy remembered an idyllic home life with a lot of laughter, big family dinners on weekends, and her Dad dancing, singing, and juggling.

As a child, Judy excelled in school and was a self-described tomboy. She camped out in the backyard with her sisters, climbed trees with her brothers, played baseball with the boys, and, once, on a dare, ate a bug. She babysat to pay for roller skating lessons and rink time, channeling her competitive spirit into dance skating. She won numerous medals, formed lasting friendships, and reached the national level before financial constraints ended her competitive career. Although college was beyond her family’s means, Judy remembered with gratitude the encouragement of teachers and the fathers of her close friends, Elaine and Barb, who told her she had what it took to go to college and encouraged her to make the most of her education. Their willingness to step in shaped her lifelong commitment to helping young people and her emphasis on education for her own children and grandchildren. She readily extended a helping hand to others, whether it was sitting with a young cousin during chemo treatments, making meals for a friend going through cancer treatment, offering rides to kids when parents had to work so they wouldn’t miss out on play dates or sporting events, being a safe person for kids struggling at home, opening her home to those feeling lonely and volunteering to support teachers and coaches, Judy carried on the legacy of being there for others.

As a teen, Judy met her future husband, Al Yoviene, at his family’s roller rink. After dating, they married and spent nearly 40 years together and raised three children before taking separate paths in 2002. They remained close until Al’s death in 2022.

Judy called the years raising Sherrie, Tom, and Wendy in Whitehurst on the Magothy, in Severna Park, Maryland, the best years of her life. She created a welcoming home, filled with wonderful meals, a flourishing garden, and encouragement for her children’s pursuits. She passed along her discipline, mental toughness, and competitive spirit and she often said how she treasured getting to be a child along with her children. Family adventures included snow skiing, roller skating, biking, sailing, and water skiing. Summer weekends, after swim meets, meant boating to Dobbins Island, Annapolis, Riverdale, and historic towns across the Chesapeake.

Judy brought joy to everyday life and made holidays magical. She was a talented seamstress, who learned from her grandmother, and passed on the skill to her daughters (gifting each a sewing machine) and granddaughters. For many years on Halloween Judy displayed her homemade bear costume and tutu while roller skating through Whitehurst as the “dancing bear.” She reprised the role for her grandchildren as well. Her tea parties featured tiered platters of homemade cakes and cookies, and her Christmas Eve celebrations welcomed everyone and included a visit from Santa who handed out thoughtful and personalized gifts as well as silly gifts for all.

A dedicated volunteer, Judy served the Parent Teacher Association and her children’s sports teams, including as swim team representative for many years. She also chaperoned many school trips, sports trips, and youth group and team ski trips. She volunteered at the William Paca House and Gardens in Annapolis, and with a number of theaters in Annapolis and Ft. Lauderdale, supported the performances of the British Embassy Players, served in the Whitehurst Garden Club, which dedicated many hours to beautification of the community, and welcomed Midshipman as a volunteer with the US Naval Academy Sponsor Program. In the 1980s, after a teen she knew suffered a life-changing drug related injury, she worked with the County Executive on youth drug education and outreach, devoting late nights to research, programming and fundraising.

When her children were mostly grown Judy began a career in real estate, first, as a licensed Realtor and then becoming a Broker. Judy excelled at real estate and ended up handling sales of major properties across the Maryland Eastern Shore. She also worked in real estate as a Broker in Ft. Lauderdale, FL and then again when she moved to Reston, VA in 2000. Working with so many wonderful clients to make their dreams come true gave Judy such joy and purpose.

Known as Grammy or Grammy Juju to her eight grandchildren and her seven great-grandchildren, Judy delighted in every generation of her family. She traveled whenever possible to their sporting events, plays, and musicals, cherished holidays together, and celebrated birthdays, graduations, careers, marriages, and growing families. Her greatest pride was seeing each one find faith, love and their potential.

Judy had a bonus job starting in 2008. When her youngest daughter was expecting her first child, Judy announced her plan to retire from real estate and become “Grammy Nanny” to Callie, and eventually Bodey. She lived and traveled with the family and enjoyed trips to Italy, Disney, the Florida Keys and many Florida beaches, Bethany Beach, California, and ski trips to Vermont and Pennsylvania to name a few. Judy was a daily presence in Callie and Bodey’s lives. Before they started school, she created “Grammy’s Play School” focusing on early reading skills with the help of Dick and Jane books, teaching them the value of exercise with homemade balance beams, running races in the yard, pull ups and more. She planned surprise adventures hiking, visiting the zoo, going to farms, having picnics and catching frogs and minnows in the nearby creek. She also taught them to love gardening, sewing, baking, and cooking, which included homemade pasta, gnocchi, Italian meatball soup and rice balls. She took great pride in their success in school, sports and their musical and acting pursuits. She often said how blessed she was to play such a big role in their lives.

She officially retired to the role of Grammy in the Spring of 2024, but she continued supporting her grandchildren in their endeavors right up until her hospitalization. She was at Bodey’s high school soccer game just four days earlier and was able to attend Plebe Parent Weekend at the U.S. Naval Academy to celebrate Callie’s completion of Plebe summer. She also treasured visits with her adult grandchildren and their babies and delighted in attending two of their weddings within the past year.

Judy created a beautiful life filled with faith, love, and laughter. If someone was hurting or in need, Judy was there to support and advocate for them. Her family and the many others she touched will miss her deeply and trust that she is at peace in the presence of the Lord.

Judy is survived by her sister Carol Thiebault (Ed), sisters-in-law Beth Terkula, Nancy Terkula, and Debbie Terkula, her children Sherrie Wingate (Rick), Tom Yoviene (Michele), Wendy Yoviene (Joe), her grandchildren Danica Gaitan (Anthony), Ricky Wingate (Britt), Tori Wingate, Kristin Ilkin (Clay), Tommy Yoviene (Haley), Cory Yoviene (Josie), Callie Yoviene Lissenden and Bodey Yoviene Lissenden, and her great-grandchildren Isla Gaitan, Rory Gaitan, Olivia Ilkin, Josie Ilkin, Mia Yoviene, Brooklyn Wingate, and Caden Wingate, and many beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

There will be a Mass of Christian Burial on November 12, 2026, at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, 8601 Wolf Trap Road SE, Vienna, VA 22182, with a reception to follow in DeSales Hall, followed by internment at St. Anne’s Historic Cemetery, Northwest Street and West Washington Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 (near Church Circle).