Judith Wickerham Olney, age 79, recently of Danvers, MA, passed away on Saturday, October 9, 2021 after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s.
She was born in Houston, TX on October 25, 1941 and was the daughter of the late M. D. & Mary Tennie (Buie) Wickerham.
Judith attended Lamar High School in Houston, TX and graduated from Radcliffe College in 1963 with a B.A. in American History and Literature. She went on to earn a M.A. in Education from Connecticut College.
Judith was a long-time resident of Rowley, MA where she served on the historical society and as co-proprietor of the Cricket Hill Herb Farm in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, she produced costumes for productions at Salem State College and Castle Hill. Judith then took up basket weaving, and her career took off after Welch’s commissioned her work for a national television advertising campaign.
Judith became a master of free-hand shaping and was renowned internationally for her skill and unique designs. She found her passion in teaching these techniques to others while exhibiting her deep intellect and whimsical sense of humor. Judith published several instructional basket patterns as well as a book on weaving based on insights from the Choctaw Native American tribe.
Judy is preceded in death by her husband, Roger. She is survived by their children, a son, Matthew D. Olney of Salisbury and daughter, Tennie Olney of Alexandria, VA. She also leaves granddaughter, Emily Olney of NH.
Services will be private at the convenience of the family. The family welcomes donations to the Alzheimer’s Association https://act.alz.org/donate. Arrangements entrusted to F. S. Roberts & Son Funeral Home of Rowley.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Judith Wickerham Olney, please visit our floral store.