By Gene Murrow and David Barnert

Dancers who casually encountered Judy Grunberg on the dance floor—noting her graceful, bird-like movement, animated arms, and frequent smile—would likely have no idea of her powerful role as an entrepreneur and organizer.

Whenever Judy became aware of a community need, she filled it. When a beloved restaurant near her home in Chatham, NY, closed, she reopened it. When the local art house movie theater was failing, she saved it. She single-handedly created the performing arts venue PS21 because she sensed the need in Columbia County.

Among the beneficiaries of her energy and talent was the annual Fried-for-All English country dance weekend held in Lenox, MA, for 20 years. While Judy didn’t originate the F4A, which was devoted primarily to the dances of Fried Herman, she provided much-needed management skills after Fried and Penelope Naumann Lord created the event in the 1980s.

When Penelope retired from running the F4A, Judy took over the responsibility. She booked the hall, hired the band and the sound person, worked out deals with local B&Bs and inns, bought the food, and agonized over the registrations. Until Fried decided to hang up her dance shoes in 2007, the F4A was a major event on the English dance calendar and spawned the Lenox Assembly and The Phoenix.

Judy Grunberg died peacefully on August 30, 2019. She contacted CDSS before her death to let us know that we were in her estate plans. Her son and executor, Daniel Grunberg, recently remitted Judy’s generous bequest to our organization. We’re so grateful to Judy for including CDSS in her philanthropic legacy.