Judith Chatfield Schwerin

Judith Chatfield Schwerin

SHARON — Judith Chatfield Schwerin, 81, died on March 22, 2024, at her home in Sharon. The wife of Frederick W. Schwerin, Jr., also of Sharon, she was a beloved friend to many.

The daughter of Helen (Spencer) Chatfield and Sherwood Clark Chatfield, she was born in New York City, grew up in Chappaqua, New York, and spent summers in Sharon. Besides her husband, she is survived by her brother, William Chatfield, of Jacksonville, Florida.

A garden historian, author, and lecturer, she wrote four books about Italian gardens: “Boboli Gardens,” “A Tour of Italian Gardens,” “The Classic Italian Garden,” and “Gardens of the Italian Lakes.” She gave many illustrated lectures to many garden clubs and other organizations, including Sotheby’s, The Cooper-Hewitt Museum, the Italian Cultural Institute, and the Edith Wharton Restoration at the Mount.

She attended Horace Greeley High School and went on to receive her B.A. and M.A. degrees in art history from Syracuse University in 1964 and 1968 and a Master of Philosophy degree from the Courtauld Institute of the University of London in 1972. In 1967 she won a Fulbright scholarship to study the restoration of art in Florence, Italy after flooding in the city. She was also a visiting scholar at the American Academy of Rome for three years.

Judith was a member of the Century Association in New York City, the Sharon Women’s Club, and the Sharon Garden Club. She was also a worldwide traveler who explored countries in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America.

The Kenny Funeral Home in Sharon is in charge of arrangements. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 25 at Christ Church Episcopal in Sharon.

Instead of flowers, please send donations to the Little Guild of St. Francis in Cornwall, CT.

Latest News

Books and bites beckon at the upcoming Sharon Summer Book Signing

Author and cartoonist Peter Steiner signed books at Sharon Summer Book Signing last summer.

Photo by Stephanie Stanton

The 27th annual Sharon Summer Book Signing at the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon will be held Friday, Aug. 1, from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 3, at noon.

Friday’s festivities will honor libraries and the power of the written word. In attendance will be 29 locally and nationally recognized authors whose books will be for sale. With a wide array of genres including historical fiction, satire, thrillers, young adult and non-fiction, there will be something for every reader.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices from Ukraine to America come to Stissing Center July 27

Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser at The Stissing Center in 2022 raised over $120,000 for Sunflower of Peace.

Photo by Michael Churton

The spirit of Ukraine will be on display at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, July 27. Beginning at 5 p.m., the “Words to America from Ukraine” fundraiser is set to showcase the simultaneous beauty of Ukrainian culture and the war-time turmoil it faces, all the while fundraising in support of Ukrainian freedom.

“Words to America from Ukraine” aims to remind and spread awareness for the suffering that often gets forgotten by those who live in comfortable worlds, explained Leevi Ernits, an organizer for the event. “We are trying to make an attempt to remind people that we are human, and we are connected with human values,” she said. “With very few words, poetry can express very deep values.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Grumbling Gryphons’ set to celebrate 45th anniversary with gala and summer theater camp

Celebrating its 45th year, the Grumbling Gryphons will perform at HVRHS Friday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m.

Photo provided

The Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater is preparing to celebrate its 45th year — not with fanfare, but with feathers, fabric, myth, chant, and a gala finale bursting with young performers and seasoned artists alike.

The Gryphons’ 2025 Summer Theater Arts Camp begins July 28 and culminates in a one-night-only performance gala at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Friday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Founder, playwright, and artistic director, Leslie Elias has been weaving together the worlds of myth, movement and theater for decades.

Keep ReadingShow less
Learning calligraphy by hand

Attendees practive brushstrokes led by calligraphy teacher Debby Reelitz.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Calligrapher Debby Reelitz came to the David M. Hunt Library to give a group of adults and children an introduction to modern calligraphy Thursday, July 17.

Reelitz said she was introduced to calligraphy as a youngster and has been a professional calligrapher and teacher for more than 25 years.

Keep ReadingShow less