meet your neighborsdiamondasonoma.com/home/diamondaranch/living here/walsh...3 was named judith...

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Meet Your Neighbors John and Judith Walsh

Years ago, there was a cartoon column in newspapers (remember newspapers?) called Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, featuring some barely

credible event that had actually happened somewhere on Earth. Right here in Diamond A, our John Walsh is married to our Judith Walsh;

that’s not the amazing part. Believe it or not, folks, John’s former wife

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was named Judith Walsh, and Judith’s former husband was named John Walsh. Now, that’s amazing.

Asmanyofyouknow,JohnhasinvestedhundredsofhoursinhisroleasPresidentoftheDiamondANeighborhoodAssociation,dealingextensivelyandintensivelywith,amongotherthings,theshorttermrentalissuewhilesufferingthreatsoflitigation;JudithputsincountlesshoursworkingwithmultipleSonomanon-profitsinvariousroleswhilealsohelpingtomakeDiamondAthewelcomingcommunityitis,including(amongotherroles)astheco-chairofthecommitteethatputsontheHillWarmingandotherevents.Wearesofortunatetohavethemassuchactivemembersofourcommunityuphereonthehill.JohnwasbornandraisedinNewJersey,inthetownthatservesasabackdropforTheSopranosTVseries.HegraduatedfromNewJerseyInstituteofTechnology,wherehewasthecaptainofthreevarsitysportsteamsandwasoneofthefirsttwoathletesinauguratedintoitsathletichalloffame.HegothisMSEEfromRutgersandspenthisworkingyearsbothatlargecompanieslikeIBMandAT&TandatsmallerfirmsasCEO.Johnhasthedistinctionofhavinghad14surgeries,andonlyoneofthemwastoputsomethingin;he’sgamelydealingwithseveredietaryrestrictionsasaresultofveryunusualheartissuesthatwerediscoveredaboutayearago.Judithisa“Californiagirl,”bornandraisedintheNapaareaandagraduateofUCBerkeleyandBoaltHall,theUCBerkeleylawschool.Sheremembersherfirstjob,makingpropsforherkindergartenteacher-mothertouseatschoolandworkingattheNapalibrarywhilestillinhighschool.However,mostofherworkinglifewasspentasalawyerintheTaxPlanninggroupatChevron,coveringallaspectsofthatcompany’soperations.Hernon-profitactivitiesincludebeingontheBoardsofImpact100SonomaandSonomaOvernightSupportandactivelymodernizingtherentalassistancerecordsatFISH(FriendsinSonomaHelping).

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JohnandJudithmarriedin2005afteranon-whirlwind26yearcourtship.They’dfirstmetin1979atabirthdaypartythatJudiththrewforherself,andafriendhadbroughtJohnalong.TherelationshipwaslongdistancetwiceasJohnwasmovedaroundthecountrywhileworkingforIBMandthenAT&T.ButJohnmovedbacktotheBayAreaforgoodin1987.Theymaintaineddualhouseholds(butwithvisitingprivileges)until2008.Johnjokesthathedidn’twanttorushintoanything.TheyfoundaspectacularDiamondAparcelonViewcrestin2007butforvariousreasonsdidnotgettheirthoughtfullyelder-safehousecompleteduntil2011,aswhichpointtheybecameDiamondAresidents. *************************************Iaskedthemafewquestions:RoleModel:John:olderbrother;Judith:mother.FavoriteRestaurant:John:EDK;Judith:Oso/Shiso.BlissMoments::John:prefernottodiscuss(wink);Judith:WaterYogaattheSonomaMissionInnandwineontheterraceonawarmnight.WhoCooks:Havinglivedaloneforquiteafewyears,theydevelopeddifferentrhythmsandpreferences,sotheygenerallyfendforthemselves,thoughJudithdoesfrequentlypreparethelow-saltdinnersthatJohnhastoeat,oftenusingtheproducefromthegardenthatshetends.Whatgetsyouupinthemorning:John:mybodyclock;Judith:Pussycat,the15yearoldblondestraycatwhoadoptedmeinNapamanyyearsago.Readinglist:John:mainlyperiodicalsandwhat’sonthecomputer;Judith:whateverthebookclubisreadingnext,aswellasmysteries.Exercise:Johnplaysgolfabouttwiceaweek;Judith,whorantwomarathons(inthe“distantpast”),walksseveraldaysaweekandtakesPilates/GyrotonicslessonsatStudioMweeklyaswell.

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ScreenTime:Bothadmittospendingalotoftimeinfrontofthecomputerscreen,butmuchofitrelatestoeitherDiamondAorlocalnon-profits.TravelDreams:Underthecircumstances,it’sprettynicerighthereinDiamondA.FavoriteSportsTeams:John:SFGiantsandNiners;Judith:(yawn)WholeFoodsorSonomaMarket:John:TraderJoe’sandSafeway;Judith:WholeFoodsandSonomaMarket(Notmuchforfollowingdirections)FavoriteLocalActivities:Both:Transcendence,WednesdaynightBBQsandtheDiamondAcarshow.GuiltyPleasure:John:potatochips;Judith:chocolateandreadingbookswithnoeducationalvalue.PetPeeve:John:peoplewhodon’tspeaktheEnglishlanguageproperly;Judith:veryslowdrivers(ofwhichtherearemanyinSonoma).Car:John:KeepshisoldMiatabutisreluctantlyfallinginlovewithhisnewHyundaiwhichmakesthetripstoStanfordHospitalmorecomfortable;Judith:her2001BMW325sedanwith196,000milesonit.