The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-08-23
Late Tom Judge Had Great
Personality, Says His
Home Paper
HIS WAS LIFE OF
GOOD COMRADESHIP
Former Brattleboro Man Was Positive
and Unafraid, and Personal Recti-
tude Gave Weight to His Convic-
tion-A Loyal Friend.

6 . 4
tude Gave Weight to His Convic-
tion-A Loyal Friend
The standing which Tom Judge, a
Brattleboro native, enjoyed in Holyoke,
Mass, where his death occurred Thurs
day morning of acute indigestion, is indi-
Gated by review of his life published
Thursday in the Holyoke Transcript, to-
gether with a double-column picture and
an editorial half a column in length
From the obituary notice the following
is taken:
Theodore Roosevelt never wrote a tru-
er thing than when he said life is a Great
Adventure. How wonderful it is that
people are brought into this world of
tremendous opportunities and possibilities
Yet, by wise dispensation of Providence,
men reap as they SOW These thoughts
apply to Thomas A. Judge, who died SO
suddenly this morning at his Suffolk
street home after a life full Of activities,
successes and gokl comradeship Life was
a Great Adventure for him, and at the
fullness he was called away, without bod.
lily suffering and wasting energies His
was beautiful way to die. Mr.. Judge
had played his usual nine holes of golf
at the Country club links yesterday And
after = shower bath at the club house
went for an automobile ride with Mrs
Judge up country. No Holyoker loved
his Connecticut valley more than Tom
Judge. He never tired of driving up and
down the beautiful valleys of the river
as far north as Brattleboro and beyond
He knew every cross road in the three
counties of this state as well as the high
ways of southern New Hampshire and
Vermont He loved every one of the
roads and the nice thing about it was
that he was so ready to share his Joys
in the country with his friends He sell
dom drove his big National ear alone.
He liked to have other people along to
catch the inspiration of our glorious val
ley. Tom Judge was good friend You
could always trust him. In the old days
his JOY was baseball, and for years he
was one of the enthusiasts at the Dude
Grounds where he pitched for the old
Athletics. 1t was through his baseball
friends that he was tempted in 1885 to
run for the old common council in ward
, He lost the election to James w
Toole but he foliffi hen the votes were
counted hosts of friends he didn't know
he possessed. That was his last political
ambition, but 1t was a new beginning for
his campaign for comradeship. Tom
Judge was a man of tremendous personal
ity. He was Jealous newspaper reader
and did his own thinking, when it came
to great issues He had positive convic-
tons, and The courage always to be count
ed. When it came to friendships there
was never one more loyal Once a friend
always one. After the passing of the
Dude Grounds" and the old Athletics,
Tom Judge took up duplicate whist, and
became one of the best players in Hol-
yoke For years the tournaments went
on, with the late John J. Fenton and
Thomas Mclean, w B. Reid and others
i'll the games. From duplicate whist Tom
Judge graduated into auction bridge, and
always played strong hand Six years
ago Mr.. Judge was married to Mrs. Eliz-
abeth Smith, and their married life has
been one long period OF happiness.
| Editorially, the Transcript spoke of Mr..
Judge as follows:
1t comes as sharp shock to Holyoke
that Tom Judge, who but few hours
| before was among us, full of life and
vigor, making the most of all the hours,
| of all the rays, has gone on Handsome,
| vigorous, the out-of-door life that he
| loved so much pressing its stamp of right
living upon him, Mr.. Judge carried his
years lightly.
Only yesterday he revealed in the early
autumn day and reported IS holes of golf
1 Ea,.y Il, e II ~
out-of-doors gives. 1t was a happy fea
ture of his recent years that he had been
able to spend most of his time in the
open. He knew every motor road in New
England The White Mountains. the
Green Mountains, the Adirondacks, were
| all his Fairgrounds. In the winter he
could transfer his golf and motoring to
| the South
! In any measure of his day among us
we have to mention very specially this
part of his life, since it was what stooc
i with him in his later years
But life had not been playtime all the
way for Mr.. Judge From his fine ole
father, who for two generations was par
of the merchant history of Brattleboro
VT, Mr. Judge had the inheritance an.
training in good judgment and decision
that made him successful in the practiea
affairs of his life. He gave a normal life
time of service with the Connecticut Hfv
err, and later with the Boston & Main
road
Railroading he understood and it avs
; revelation and often discouraging thin
to listen to him discuss the reasons 70
breakdowns in the actual handling of tn
roads.
Following the railroad period of his lii
his real estate investments in Holyok
were unusually successful. His person;
: attention to his property made satisea
tory outlet to energy that would has
e lost its edge in complete retirement. A
r it was Tom Judge never grew old.
/ He had seen the larger mart If the ge
h erations come and go in Holyoke, alwa,
IS with host of friends at his comman
y a man who drew deep from life and g
and gave much in it. He was eminent
man who was attracted to clubs. Fe
ut men enjoyed good fellowship better. b