Judilee's Jubilee

About the Book

“Judilee Bennyhoff spent her childhood and teenage years living above a funeral home. She painted this miniature picture of the funeral home. Growing up with such grief and sadness gave her an enthusiasm and zest for life. Judilee was a model and worked at a famous psychiatric clinic in New York City. She then became an interior designer and artist on the Main Line of Philadelphia where she still lives in Strafford, Pennsylvania with her husband (me). These are her stories. You will laugh out loud… or, at times, reach for a tissue. You will LOVE the read and you will get to love Judilee as I do!” George R. Bennyhoff Front cover design and illustration by Elizabeth Traynor. (Lizzie is the author’s wonderful niece.)

About the Author

She lived upstairs above a funeral home in a small town in Central Pennsylvania. Downstairs, it seemed there was always someone in a casket. A brat with buck teeth, thin mousey brown hair and eye glasses, she didn't think she was very cute. But later, in a courageous move, she went to the big city and became a fashion model with the most prestigious modelling agency in New York City. While also working at Bloomingdale's department store and at a famous psychiatric clinic, she walked through Manhattan, in the wee hours of the night, to a funeral home to see her namesake, Judy Garland in her casket. Trekking around New York in buses and subways, she helped her six-month old daughter become a baby model. She appeared in magazines, catalogues and on product packaging. Divorced, then remarried she blended a family of seven together. To add to the chaos, she had a big dog and he had a small dog. Judilee became an interior designer on the Main Line of Philadelphia. While participating in several Vassar Show Houses, her rooms were featured in national magazines. Her own home was on tour for a charity fund raiser. As an artist, she has worked in several mediums; pastels, watercolor, and oil paints, but today she is best known for her "shellscapes" where she creates beautiful pictures made from tiny sea shells. She has received many awards for her works at shell shows across the country. She loves spending time with her children and their families, which includes nineteen grandchildren, and she continues her spirited adventures with her husband and many friends. These are her stories.