Plan for the Future
Judie “Mama Dewey” Bassano Belf, 77, of Chatham, NJ, passed away on March 13, 2022. Memorial visiting hours at Wm. A. Bradley & Son Funeral Home, 345 Main St. in Chatham will be held on Saturday, March 19 from 1 to 3pm. There will be a prayer service and family remembrances at 2:30 during the visitation. Attire: casual and colorful – like Judie
Born and raised in Newark, NJ, the daughter of William and Carolyn (Waclevek) Bassano, Judie had also lived in So. Orange, Livingston, Watchung, and Boca Raton before moving to Chatham 16 years ago. A graduate of St. James High School in Newark, Judie had worked for many years as a florist at Victor’s Florist in So. Orange and as a Special Education helper at Mountain Park Elementary School in Berkeley Heights, NJ.
Judie was the beloved wife of 50 years to Leslie “Les” Belf. She was the loving mother of Staci Keryc and her husband James. She is also survived by her cherished grandchildren, Cailyn and Ryan, her dear brother John Bassano and his wife Janet, her niece Jennifer and husband Chad and grand-niece Blake, her sister-in-law Diane Shilling, her nephew Scott and his wife Gail, grand-nephews Justin and Jared, her niece Paige and husband Adam and grand-niece Jamie and grand-nephew Noah.
Judie absolutely loved her family and touched the lives of anyone she ever interacted with. The beach was her passion and she enjoyed cooking, shopping, and tennis as well. No one who has ever met her will ever forget Mama Dewey – she will live in our hearts forever. She will be fondly remembered, but as Judie would say “this is not good-bye, but so long.”
