Judith Rawle Neilson, 86
Judith Rawle Neilson, beloved mother and grandmother, passed away peacefully on June 13, 2025, surrounded by family. She was 86.
Judy (or “Bean,” as she was affectionately known) was happiest surrounded by her five children and 14 grandchildren, sharing her gifts as a chef and gardener. She always had a little helper in the garden, picking snap peas or cherry tomatoes, and her dinner table was endlessly expandable — there was always room for one more. Her home was a haven for her children’s friends at every stage of life, and everyone who entered felt welcomed, included, and loved. As one grandchild said: “We all were special to Bean. That’s the essence of Beanie — she cared so deeply for the people around her. … We are so deeply lucky.”
Apart from her family, Judy’s greatest pride was her three decades with the Singing City Choir, a Philadelphia institution dedicated to peace and justice through the joy of creative collaboration. For Judy, the transcendent power of singing with people from all walks of life was a weekly balm. She needed it, and she knew the world did, too.
Judy was born on August 26, 1938, to Marshall and Theodora Rawle, and she and her brother David spent their early years in Providence and Andover before the family settled in Noroton, Connecticut. Judy attended New Canaan Country School, Miss Porter’s School, and Radcliffe College, where she discovered her lifelong love for choral music. At Radcliffe, she met Benjamin Reath Neilson at an audition for “The Yeoman of the Guard.” By February 1959 they were engaged, and they married that June. After college and law school, they settled on Philadelphia’s Main Line to raise their family. Though their marriage ended in divorce in 1980, Judy and Benjie’s five children remained her emotional center.
Judy’s professional life began in 1973 when she joined the Women’s Suburban Clinic, providing reproductive health services. She later earned her master’s degree from the Bryn Mawr College School of Social Work. Her career, spanning 25 years, included hospice work at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, couples counseling with the Philadelphia Marriage Council, and private practice. In every role, Judy’s dedication to lifting people up and helping them find harmony in their lives was her guiding light.
Judy retired to Acton in 2005, joining her son Marshall and daughter Johanna as they raised their own young families. She became an active supporter and volunteer at Open Table, continuing her lifelong commitment to helping others.
Judy is survived by her children and their spouses: Jamie and Stephanie Neilson of Pasadena, California; Theo Neilson of Boca Raton, Florida; Johanna and John Boynton of Acton; Alberta Neilson and Peter Mundy of San Francisco; and Elizabeth Neilson, widow of her son Marshall who passed away in 2016, and her husband Kip Curtiss. She is also survived by her brother David Rawle and his wife Carol Perkins of Charleston, South Carolina. Her 14 grandchildren — Clara, Reath, Christopher, Michael, Scout, Tucker, Daisy, Chester, Eli, Livy, Cade, Bea, Parker, and Molly — will forever cherish the memory of their Bean.
Judy loved the exuberant beauty of choral music and the magic that happens when many voices become one. She understood that the best choirs — and the best families — are built on patience, inclusion, and the willingness to work through challenges together. Whether as a singer, a mother, a grandmother, a colleague, or a friend, Judy always showed up with open arms and an open heart, lifting others up and bringing out the best in everyone. Her legacy is the joy of togetherness, the comfort of belonging, and the music of lives lived in harmony — always working together toward that moment of joy when everyone fits and the voices lift everyone up. The moment when everyone sings.
Judy’s legacy is her family, the joy of togetherness, and the music of lives lived in harmony.
A service to celebrate Judy’s life will be held at First Parish in Acton on Saturday, November 15. The time, once finalized, will be shared on Dee Funeral Home’s website.
Gifts in her memory may be made to Singing City Choir or Open Table. She loved nothing more than sharing a glass of wine with a friend, so the next time you raise a glass, please toast a life well lived with laughter, music, and love.
Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Acton. To share a remembrance or offer a condolence on Judy’s tribute page, visit DeeFuneralHome.com.
