By Ellen Braunstein
Judith “Judie” Weinstock, a quiet force behind a successful interior design partnership, died July 5 at 84. Known for her elegance, sharp eye and unwavering loyalty, she built a life filled with color, family and purpose — though she was rarely the one in the spotlight.
“She liked to stay in the background. She didn’t want attention on her. But she was the glue of everything,” Nancy Yecies said of her mother. Judie was a longtime member of Congregation Rodeph Shalom and a Center City resident for 45 years.
She and her husband Bennett ran a decorating business for decades. Although Bennett, a former lawyer, was the face of the firm, meeting with clients and making house calls, it was Judie who kept the operation humming. “She did all the accounting, the billing, the operations,” Yecies said. “But she also had impeccable taste. They would look at a stack of wallpaper samples or drapery and, without consulting, pick the exact same one. They just saw things the same way.”
The two met serendipitously in Paris while traveling abroad as young students — both Philadelphians, both art lovers, both drawn to beauty. Bennett said he kept bumping into her, over and over again, and by the end of that summer, they were inseparable. They would have celebrated their 61-year wedding anniversary this August.
Judie was born in West Philadelphia in 1940 to Joe and Roye Weintraub, in a household that celebrated Jewish holidays and was rooted in Reform Judaism. She attended Sunday school and services with her older sister, Alene Alper, and spent her early years as an active, athletic child. “She was a great athlete,” Alper recalled. “She figure skated at 6 a.m. as a kid and later played tennis. She was laser-focused on everything she did, even as a young girl.”
A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Judie remained intellectually curious all her life. Though she did not pursue formal training in design or art, she was a passionate student of both. “She was always taking art classes, going to art lectures, traveling to New York galleries,” Alper said.
At home, she crafted beauty not just for clients but also for those closest to her. Judie was an award-winning quilter, and her artistry filled the home her family once owned in Elkins Park and later their house in Longport, which they called the Quilted Cottage. “She made quilts for every bed,” Yecies said. “We used to go with her to pick out fabrics. They’re still all over that house.”
Her creativity didn’t stop at fabric. She was also an exceptional cook, especially when it came to French and Italian cuisine. “We always had dinner together as a family,” her son Robert Weinstock said. “It was always from scratch, always delicious and probably more sophisticated than I appreciated at the time.”
Though known for her polished style — she was always impeccably dressed — Judie was down-to-earth. She loved the Eagles, 76ers and Phillies, enjoyed quiet nights at home and appreciated the comforts of routine.
Judie’s reserved demeanor sometimes gave people the impression that she was serious or formal. But those who knew her well saw a different side. “She had a great sense of humor,” Robert said. “We used to watch the movie ‘What’s Up, Doc?’ with her, over and over. She never stopped laughing at it. She loved Barbra Streisand, Madeline Kahn — she had an infectious laugh.”
While not religious in a traditional sense, Judie was a proud Jewish Philadelphian who supported the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia and Jewish Family Services. “She was culturally Jewish and philanthropic,” Yecies said. “She gave to Jewish causes, Parkinson’s research, the arts and more. She was generous in spirit.”
As a mother, Judie was steady, loyal and deeply loving. “She was a great sports mom,” Robert said. “She took me to tennis and ice hockey, and my sister to skating. She was honest, consistent and supportive. She didn’t sugarcoat things, but she listened. That was one of her greatest gifts.”
Friends felt that same loyalty. “People told me they were proud to be in her circle,” Yecies said. “She made people feel valued. If she loved you, she loved you completely.”
She passed those values on to her two children and three grandchildren — loyalty, honesty and the importance of staying true to yourself. “She lived life on her terms,” said Nancy. “She taught me to be who you are, unapologetically.”
Asked what his mother meant to him, Robert said, “She’s the yardstick I measure myself by. As a parent, as a spouse, as a friend, she’s the standard.”
Ellen Braunstein is a freelance writer.