From FordhamSports.com
Bronx, N.Y. - The Fordham University water polo program suffered a great loss this week with the passing of Dr. Francis Judge, FCRH '53, a water polo pioneer at Fordham, in New Rochelle, N.Y. He was 80.
"Francis Judge was a driving force behind the sport of water polo at Fordham," said Executive Director of Athletics, Frank McLaughlin. "The program would not be where it is today if he didn't dedicate himself to it when he first arrived at Rose Hill in 1949. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family for their loss."
As a freshman in 1949, Judge brought the sport of Water Polo back to Fordham, serving as a player-coach. He finished his four-year undergraduate stint with a 9-5 overall record and an Eastern Championship.
As a member of the New York Athletic Club, Judge won two national championships and participated in the Olympic Trials in 1952. Following two years in dental school at NYU, Judge returned to coach at his alma mater, turning a 3-16 team into a 14-5 squad one season later. He was in inducted into the Fordham University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985.
Fordham water polo runs in the Judge family as his son, Christopher, also played water polo at Fordham and was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996, and his grandson, Alex, is a current member of the team.
Born on April 6, 1932 in Brooklyn, to the late Francis X. and Anne (Mahoney), Judge was a longtime New Rochelle resident and former New Rochelle City Councilman. He received his certification in Orthodontics from Columbia University and had a private practice for over 40 years. Judge served on the New Rochelle City Council for 12 years.
Judge is survived by his wife of 56 years, Emilie M. (Winson) and their eleven children: Stephen, Margaret (Thomas) Hickey, Christopher (Alison), Loretta, Gregory (Cynthia), Matthew, Raymond (Christine), Timothy (Kimberly), Emilie, Michael (Grace) and Kevin (Pina); his 20 grandchildren; his sister Marla O'Reilly and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Sheila Egan.
Visiting hours will be Wednesday 4-8pm at Lloyd Maxcy and Sons Beauchamp Chapel, 16 Shea Place, New Rochelle, NY. A Funeral Mass is scheduled for Thursday 10:30am at Holy Family Church. Interment will follow at St. Francis DeSales Cemetery in Elka Park, N.Y.
