Judith "Judy" Salmon

Judith “Judy” Salmon, 84, longtime resident of Milford, NH died on July 27, 2023, after a period of declining health. She was surrounded by her loving family, including her husband of 56 years, Herb (Chip) Salmon, son Scot Salmon, daughter Shona Daley, son in-law Lincoln Daley, and two grandchildren Seth and Kaye. Her daughter-in-law, Anita Salmon, and grandson Grant Salmon were in Texas but were present via an internet connection.

Judy was born on July 14, 1939, in Greenfield, MA, a daughter of the late George and Loretta (Riel) Dallas. Her oldest sister, Patricia Dallas, lives in Queensbury, NY. Judy was predeceased by sisters Elizabeth, “Betty” and Margaret, “Peggy”.

Judy attended school in Greenfield, MA. In high school she was class treasurer every year and graduated with high honors in 1957. She went on to attend Jackson College near Boston, graduating in 1961. After graduating from college Judy became a high school mathematics teacher in New Canaan, CT. In 1965 she received a national scholarship to earn a Masters Degree in Mathematics at Rutgers University in New Jersey. While she was at Rutgers she met Herbert ‘Chip’ Salmon and they were married in 1967. They lived in Piscataway, NJ for three years, both mathematics teachers at nearby schools.

The couple decided to look for teaching jobs outside the USA and in 1969 took teaching jobs at the Tehran American School in Iran, Judy being hired as the chair of the mathematics department, with Chip working for her. This worked out very well and they decided to extend their two-year commitment to the school for another year. Iran opened up wonderful travel opportunities and while there they traveled to Greece, Egypt, southern Soviet Union, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, beautiful Kashmir, and extensively in Iran itself. While in Iran Judy became a good powder snow skier and tennis player.

At the end of their stay in Iran Chip was offered a job in Tain, Scotland, managing the education of American high school students whose families had moved there to oversee the building giant deep-sea oil drilling platforms. Together Judy and Chip worked with the Americans using a Scottish high school as the center of their efforts. This one-year commitment turned into five years and during that time their two children, Herbert “Scot” and Shona Annelle, were born. They loved Scotland and made many long-lasting friends.

At the end of the fifth year in Scotland most of the American students had returned to the USA and Chip and Judy were asked to take a similar job in Bergen, Norway. They lived there for another year and loved that beautiful country, too. At the end of that school year Judy thought it was time to return to the USA and they did.

From Norway they moved to Milford, NH in the summer of 1978, where Chip was hired as a teacher at the high school and Judy stayed home with the two children, as she loved to do. They have lived in Milford since. As the children became school-aged, Judy found time to return to teaching mathematics, first at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH, then Hesser College in Manchester, NH, and finally at Fitchburg State College in Fitchburg, MA. Judy finally retired from teaching in 2006.

Judy always loved to travel and continued to do so for the rest of her life, including Japan, the Philippines, Borneo, Thailand, India, New Zealand, Australia, France, Italy, Spain and many other European countries. She was determined to and succeeded in traveling to all 50 states. The travels were filled with wonderful experiences and memories.

Judy loved to play tennis and watched tennis closely when Roger Federer was playing. She was an excellent swimmer, rafted down rivers from Iran to the Grand Canyon, wind surfed, even took a ride on a hang glider.

Above all she was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother who cherished spending time with her family. Even in her later years, she enjoyed planning trips and adventures that involved the whole family, including going to Scotland, Yellowstone, and Hawaii, and spearheading annual trips to Cape Cod.

SERVICES: In accordance with her wishes there will be no calling hours held. A celebration of her life will be held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM August 7th at the First Congregation Church, 10 Union St, Milford, NH. A private burial will be held later.

Arrangements are in the care of the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH 03055. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the Salvation Army or to New Hampshire Public Television.