Judy Hatt died unexpectedly in her sleep on Sunday, Nov. 25. She was 68.

Judy was born in the town of Oak Bluffs on Nov. 15, 1939, the daughter of Cornish Poole Hinckley and Doris West Hinckley. She was also welcomed by her brother Raymond (Buddy) Hinckley who was three years older. She grew up in the town of Tisbury, forming friendships that would last a lifetime.

She was a student at the Tisbury School and active in the Girl Scouts. Sadly she lost her father in 1955, but went on to graduate from the Tisbury High School in 1957.

Judy had no doubt that she wanted to be a nurse and began attending the New England Baptist Hospital School of Nursing in Boston in 1957. It was a three year program of academics and working in the various hospitals around Boston. She worked diligently and received her certificate as a registered nurse in October of 1960.

Judy and some friends from nursing school decided to travel after completing their studies. They spent many months touring the entire continent of Europe. Judy took hundreds of photos of the journey and kept in touch with her mom via weekly postcards. She returned to Boston in 1961 to catch up with her family. She didn’t sit still for long. This time she and her friends were off to live and work in Hawaii. Judy continued her education in Honolulu, passing her college boards while there, insuring her status as an R.N.

After a year in Hawaii, Judy returned to the Vineyard where she met Kenneth (Pete) Hatt of Springfield, Vt. The two were married and Judy gave birth to their first son, Eric, in 1963. Her mother died shortly thereafter. Judy began working at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and she and Pete had two more sons, Peter in 1966, and Kevin in 1969. She and Kenneth divorced in 1972, but remained close until his death in 1992. By all accounts Judy was an excellent nurse. She had a very caring nature and you never heard her say a bad word about anyone. She worked hard throughout her life, but always put her boys first. There was an open door policy at Judy’s house for any of her kids’ friends, especially for holiday dinners. Anyone who had nowhere else to go was always welcome. During the summer months when her kids were growing up, Judy would load as many kids as could fit into her car and take them all to State Beach or the drawbridge for a day of swimming or fishing or both. She always made time. She was an incredible baker and there was always the offer of a piece of pie to those who stopped by her house.

She was a devout animal lover and had several cats over the years. One, named Blizzard, lived into her twenties. Her dogs were her greatest companions. Of course, taking after Judy, her dogs and cats got along and would even sleep on the same couch together. Judy was a familiar presence walking her dogs on Skiff avenue and Lagoon Pond Road. She had three dogs in her lifetime: Barney, Brandy and Roxie. All lived to a ripe old age and had better lives than most people could hope for.

Judy continued working as an R.N. until the late 1980s when she became a visiting nurse. Her personality was perfect for the mostly elderly people she cared for. She was a great listener, and would often check in with them on her own time to make sure they had everything they needed. Her brother Buddy died in 1988.

She retired from nursing altogether in the 1990s after developing arthritis in her hips. Just in time to enjoy becoming a grandmother. Judy was blessed with the arrival of her first grandchild Edwin in 1997. She was thrilled. She had three more grandchildren, Kylie in 1999, Kenny in 2002, and Caleb in 2004. She enjoyed every birthday, holiday and countless family dinners and cookouts with her grandkids and they will miss her greatly.

She became a resident of the Henrietta Brewer House about four years ago. Having undergone hip replacement surgery, she could no longer drive and living alone became a concern. The staff and residents of the Brewer House were great friends to Judy as she was to them. The family thanks them for their compassion along with all the other people on the Island who have been so kind and worked so hard on Judy’s behalf in recent years, including Susan Desmarais.

Judy will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She always had a smile and no matter what she was going through, you never heard her complain. She was a wealth of knowledge about the Vineyard and never forgot a name. Always ready to laugh, her sense of humor was a welcome part of any visit. Even in what would appear to be the worst possible situation, she could laugh at herself and make you laugh at yourself, putting everything into perspective. You could make the biggest mistake in the world and she would never judge you. She had only kind words and encouragement.

Her graveside service will be held on Friday, Nov. 30 at 11 a.m. at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven, officiated by the Rev. Roger Spinney. Visiting hours were yesterday.

Donations in her memory may be made to the MSPCA, P.O. Box 2097, Edgartown, MA 02539.