Lifelong Claremonter, longtime Claremont Colleges employee

Judith Virginia Peairs died May 1. She was living at Hillcrest in La Verne where she was recovering from a broken hip when she unexpectedly had a heart attack.

Judy was born on May 19, 1946, to Adele Jeanette Stroup Peairs and Maurice “Marty” Crawford Peairs. She was a lifelong resident of Claremont, living first on Dartmouth Avenue near where her parents had graduated from Scripps and Pomona colleges. In 1950 the family moved to what is now known as the Pitzer-Peairs House on north Towne Avenue.

She attended Sycamore Elementary and Claremont High schools. After graduating she studied at La Verne College (now University of La Verne).

She worked for two years at the Claremont United Church of Christ nursery school (now Claremont Early Childhood Center) before taking a position at the Claremont Colleges in 1984. She first worked as a dispatcher for campus safety and then in 1988 transitioned to a secretarial position at the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College. In 1991 she moved to CMC’s Dean of Students Office, where she served as housing coordinator until she retired in 2010. She loved working with the students and the students loved her.

She was predeceased by her mother, Adele Jeanette Stroup Peairs, and father, Maurice “Marty” Crawford Peairs; brothers Frank Jerome “Jerry” Peairs and David Alan Peairs;  and sister-in-law, Lillian Marie Gude Peairs.

She is survived by her sister, Florence Peairs Adams of Mill Valley, California; sister-in-law Patti Peairs of Thousand Oaks, California; nephew, Jeffrey David Beckley of Horseshoe Bend, Idaho; niece, Emily Suzanne Adams Hughes, and nephew-in-law, James Hughes of Mill Valley; nephews Maurice “Maury” Peairs, Kevin Peairs, and niece-in-law Jennifer Peairs of Upland; and nephew Brian Peairs and niece-in-law Andrea Peairs of Simi Valley. She is also survived by seven grandnieces and grandnephews.

She enjoyed walking the Thompson Creek Trail below the Claremont foothills as well as walks among the native plants at California Botanic Garden, of which she was a member. She was also a member of the Rembrandt Club of Pomona College and enjoyed field trips and events at Seaver House. She kept up with the Claremont High Alumni Society, often attending the Saturday breakfast at the Village Grill.

A graveside service was held May 20 at Oak Park Cemetery in Claremont. Memorial tributes may be made to California Botanic Garden at calbg.org/support/tribute-gifts.