Judith Ann Stevens left us after a tough battle with liver/spleen cancer April 4, 2023 at her home in Panama City, Florida with her loving family by her side.

She was born to William E. and Virginia Kingsley Jones on March 17, 1945 in Boothbay Harbor, Maine and remained in the region over the next 50+ years. She was a 1963 graduate of Boothbay Region High School and the Plus School of Business in Portland. She accepted many types of employment such as: shrimp packing, sardine inspector, ceramics artist, doctor’s secretary, boatbuilding secretary, landscape designer and numerous others, but her true passion late in life was establishing a gardening program at the Margaret K. Lewis special needs school in Panama City.

In 1997, she moved to Panama City with her husband Joel and daughter Sarah, where she soon became involved with the local Garden Club. She studied Master Gardening, thus achieving the title of Master Gardener in 2006. She was an active member of the St. Andrews restoration committee, and always enjoyed playing golf with Joel, often playing with him in the annual Eastern Shipbuilding Tournament.

While raising two children she spent her time doing the things she loved: playing and listening to music, gardening, genealogy, quilting, and just being alive. She also loved to travel with her husband, visiting the lower 48 states together, mostly on an epic car trip.

She leaves behind her loving husband of 29 years, Joel Stevens; one son, Justin Charles Smith, his wife Sandi and their children Caleb and Madison (Grace); her daughter, Janet Elizabeth Leavy and her husband William; her beloved stepchildren, Matthew (Karen), Mary (Zach), Katie (Jeff) , Hannah (Greg) , Marjorie (Tara), Sarah (John) and dozens of grandchildren; her aunt and close friend, Joanne Jones of Boothbay Harbor; many cousins and close friends, especially her co-workers and students at the MKL school.

Throughout her life she became “irreplaceable” to her large family and close friends alike. All these friends and family are invited to attend a “Remembrance Day” to commemorate her life to be scheduled in the near future.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please make donations to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, the Margaret K. Lewis School for Special Needs in Millville, and the Tunnel to Towers foundation, all of which she cared passionately about.