Judith J. Rosen
January 21, 1925 ~ March 12, 2026
Born in:
New York, New York
Resided in:
Alexandria, Virginia
Judith (Judy) Jacobs Rosen, a pioneer of the ground-breaking Hollin Hills subdivision in Alexandria, Virginia, advocate for the developmentally disabled, proponent of Aging in Place, world traveler extraordinaire, and revered matriarch of a large extended family, died peacefully at her Hollin Hills home of 73 years March 12. She was 101.
Judy was born in 1925 in New York City, the daughter of Josette Frank and Henry Jacobs. A talented visual artist, she attended New York’s Music and Art High School, where she was the salutatorian. Judy’s commencement address in 1942 (during World War II) was so notable that Fiorello LaGuardia – then mayor of New York City – referred to it in his regular radio program a few days later.
Judy earned degrees at Antioch College and George Washington University and taught in the Prince George’s County public school system in Maryland before marrying Martin Rosen in 1949.
In 1953, Judy and Martin moved to Hollin Hills, settling as one of the first families in the innovative midcentury modern neighborhood in Fairfax County that is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Judy was a steadfast supporter as Martin pursued a career at the World Bank and, later, at the financial company he founded, First Washington Securities.
Judy enjoyed hosting international dignitaries and visitors for dinner parties at their home and was especially delighted in introducing them to American traditions like Thanksgiving.
A Hollin Hills Pioneer
The house on Paul Spring Road, where Judy remained until her death, is a Hollin Hills landmark. Set on a hill covered with azaleas that, under her care, blossomed brilliantly every year, it expanded with multiple major additions to accommodate her growing family, and it was filled over the years with children, grandchildren, friends, neighbors and business colleagues – all benefitting from Judy’s enthusiastic hostess skills. For example, Judy hosted an annual Mother’s Day brunch at her home specifically for people in Hollin Hils without mothers or women without children.
Settling in Hollin Hills seemed a bit risky at first, Judy confessed to the Washington Post in 1995. In a feature story about the mid-century modern neighborhood, she described it as an “outpost of civilization” when she and Martin moved in.
“Everything I thought I wanted in a new house was not here,” she told the Post. She had wanted to be in Maryland, but Hollin Hills was in Virginia. She had wanted a lawn, but the
house was in the woods. She had envisioned a traditional-looking multilevel home, but the Hollin Hills house was anything but.
“It was very daring architecture, and very daring to move out to the wilderness because there were questions about local schools and libraries — not knowing if there were going to be services you could find in other neighborhoods,” she told the Post.
Judy was active in the Civic Association of Hollin Hills, serving as an official greeter welcoming new neighbors, participating with her family in annual holiday events and, especially, championing the Hollin Hills Swimming Pool. She helped establish the Hollin Hills pool in its first days and helped preside over its expansion from 3 to 6 lanes. She swam there nearly every summer day until her 90’s, usually tallying a mile each time.
Judy also championed a group of sunrise lap swimmers, who entered the pool at 6:00am. Woe to any young pool employee who was late to open the doors by that time. It is estimated that Judy swam enough miles at the Hollin Hills pool in her lifetime to go from Virginia to Colorado – and back
Judy also helped assure the pool’s survival at a time when its financial future was threatened. She did that by opening the membership to other neighborhoods, and recruiting families by placing a series of signs along Fort Hunt Road adjacent to the pool – in the style of the iconic Burma Shave boards of the 1950’s. The pool now has had a waiting list for many years. One interesting aspect of Judy’s involvement was that she did not want the pool referred to as a “club” in the early days – as the vestiges of race and religious exclusion at private clubs was still prevalent at that time.
Judy was also a prolific walker, logging multiple miles along Paul Spring Road every morning. Neighbors could tell when she was out of town if they didn’t spot her from their windows on her daily sojourn.
Advocate for the Developmentally Disabled
When Judy and Martin’s son Marshall was born with Down Syndrome in 1965, she resisted pressure to place him in an institution. Instead, she focused on caring for him and nurturing his development at home and, more broadly, on helping the developmentally disabled and their families. She established a nonprofit organization to help the disabled transition into adulthood. It started with a single group home, for which she had to raise private funds, win over government officials and convince neighbors to overcome their prejudices. Today the Hartwood Foundation operates 17 group residences in Fairfax County and in the Richmond area, along with a respite and emergency support facility and in-home services, all enabling developmentally disabled adults to live semi-independently, with appropriate care and with dignity.
Proponent of Aging In Place
Later in life, Judy turned her attention to helping fellow elders. She was a founding member of Mount Vernon at Home, established in 2007 to provide seniors with a network of peers and assistants who help them stay in their homes as they age. Now one of about 300 such organizations in the nation, Mount Vernon at Home today has 140 members. Speaking about the organization to the New York Times in 2019, Judy said she enjoyed the lunches, lectures and museum trips but also came to rely on it for practical support like transportation service. “You know that if you need something, you have a place to turn,” she told the Times.
Judy was not only a proponent, but a personification of individuals who preferred to stay in their homes to the very end. She often told her children: “The only way you are getting me out of this house is FEET FIRST.”
She got her wish.
World Traveler Extraordinaire
Judy loved to travel, visiting spots that ranged from the Galapagos to Burma to Alaska to Papua New Guinea. She once slept in the personal seaside villa of Marshall Tito in the former Yugoslavia (now Croatia). She kept a map in her study with pins for every country she had visited, which numbered multiple scores.
Judy usually preferred destinations that were off the beaten path, away from over-commercialized tourism and with their local cultures and resources intact. She was known for somehow bringing back large native objects from her trips, which became part of her home’s decor, both inside and out.
Since Judy hated cold weather and loved the water, she made annual extended winter trips to the Caribbean, and other tropical islands. She visited so many islands that she sometimes contributed to the iconic Fodor’s travel guides.
Judy was an avid snorkeler exploring waters as far as The Great Barrier Reef. Judy was especially fond of Anguilla, an island in the Eastern Caribbean where she made repeated visits. Permanent residents in Anguilla and other regular visitors enjoyed her daily strolls in a cover up with a racy print on it.
Through her travels and continuing studies, she was fluent in Spanish and conversant in French. She was also able to speak some Serbo-Croatian.
Revered Matriarch
Judy is survived by a large extended family, including her children and their spouses: Andrea Rosen and Stephen MacDonald of Toronto; Henry and Alice Rosen of Dallas; Yereth Rosen of Anchorage; Irene and Bruce Marks of Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania; Marshall Rosen of Alexandria; Jania and Alan Fox of Manhattan Beach, California; and Elaine Lederman of Norfolk.
Despite being geographically dispersed, most of her children and grandchildren loved visiting at Thanksgiving, and sitting at Judy’s famous long Thanksgiving table, decorated with fruits, nuts, squash and colored fall leaves. In November 2024, more than 40 family members and assorted friends gathered on Paul Spring Road to celebrate Judy’s 100th birthday as well as Thanksgiving.
Judy was extremely generous and supportive of her children and grandchildren. But whenever one of her children tried to thank her for some kindness, she deflected, using her favorite phrase: “that is why we have mothers instead of being hatched from eggs.”
She is also survived by 15 grandchildren and sister-in-law Kathy Jacobs of Tucson. She was preceded in death by husband Martin in 1984, companion Alan Lederman in 2006 and brother Stephen Jacobs in 2019.
A memorial service & celebration of life, is planned for Sunday, April 19th at Noon at Judy’s home in Hollin Hills, 2115 Paul Spring Road, Alexandria. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be sent to the Hartwood Foundation, 3701 Pender Drive, No. 410, Fairfax, Virginia 22030.
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My husband Bob and I rented an apartment next door to Judy on Anguilla for many years. She would bring Bob a cupcake with a candle on it for his birthday in Feb. She would regularly recommend books for us to read (no fiction allowed). She would hold a “block party” for the few of us nearby. We all have wonderful memories of her and her Tshirt.