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November 3, 1939 February 28, 2022A 6th generation descendant of missionary teachers in Hawaii Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke, Judith Montague Sheehan Dawson was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She graduated from Punahou School, attended Wellesley College and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley (B.A.) and the University of Hawaii at Manoa (M.A.) with degrees in Art History and Far Eastern Art History. At the end of 2013, Judy stepped down from her volunteer duties in Hawaii and moved to Pleasanton, California to be closer to her two children and their families. Judy fulfi lled a lifelong commitment to Hawaii, giving back to nonprofi t organizations throughout her distinguished career. Judy was the great-great granddaughter of Juliette Montague Cooke Atherton who founded the Atherton Family Foundation in Honolulu in 1915. Judy served as a Director for the Foundation for more than 30 years. In 2006, she became the Foundation's President and eff ectively led the organization for over eight years. Under Judy's leadership and guidance, the Foundation continued to support a broad spectrum of non-profi t groups across the state and fl ourished as a compassionate and eff ective organization. After a long and successful career in development and fi nance at Punahou School, where she served successively as both the VP of Development and the VP of Finance/Treasurer (and where she oversaw major capital campaigns resulting in dramatic improvements to the Punahou campus as well as to the School's endowment), Judy was elected to the Board of Trustees of Punahou School and served for 12 years until her retirement in 2014. Judy also served as the Development Director at the Honolulu Academy of Arts and on the Board of Trustees from 1996 to 2014, serving during the merger of the Academy with Th e Contemporary Museum to form the Honolulu Museum of Art. As a volunteer at the Museum for decades, she was a founding docent at Spalding House when the Museum's Asian Art collection was housed and exhibited there. She was a co-founder in 1987 of the Museum's major fundraiser "Kamaaina Christmas" which continues to highlight Honolulu's holiday season. She continued to actively serve as a Trustee Emerita of both organizations. Th roughout her life, Judy selfl essly gave her time and talent to the nonprofi t community as a volunteer serving on a wide variety of boards including the University of Hawaii Arts and Sciences Advisory Council, Development Advisory Board for Moanalua Gardens Foundation, Pacifi c and Asian Aff airs Council, Le Jardin Academy, American Red Cross - Hawaii Chapter, Daughters of Hawaii, and the Hawaiian Mission Children's Society which she also served as President. She was named the Fundraising Professional of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals - Hawaii Chapter in 2001, the Girls Scouts Woman of Distinction honoree in 2009, and was the recipient of the "O" in Life Award by Punahou School in 2010. Survivors include her son Mark L. Dawson, an attorney in Danville, CA; her daughter Starr Mclaughin (Ian), an elementary teacher in Danville; her grandchildren Lia, Jared and Hallie Dawson, Sam and Charlie Mclaughlin; her siblings Laurel Douglass of Kula, Maui; Michael Sheehan of Hanalei, Kauai; Douglas Sheehan of Kula, Maui; Gary Sheehan of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii and Lance Sheehan of Port Angeles, Washington. Donations in her memory may be made to Punahou School or the Honolulu Museum of Art.
