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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.