As a family, the Ricketts were a prominent part of Sutton Valence School life. Judy was a popular figure around the site and her two sons, Charles (1979 F) and James (1980 F) both attended the School with distinction. Her two daughters were educated elsewhere as the School had yet to become co-educational.

Judy was the archetypical headmaster’s wife of the mid-1900s. Although not officially an employee of the School, she was a major figure in looking after the welfare of both staff and their families, taking a very keen interest in their activities. She hosted many a social event, perhaps the most noteworthy one of which was the after-chapel coffee morning every Sunday, when the goings on of the previous day’s fixtures was a major talking point.

Together, she and Michael enjoyed a long retirement, first in Norfolk and then in Cornwall, until his death in 2004. Throughout this time, she kept in touch with a goodly number of former staff at Sutton Valence whose lives she had graced with her charm and sincerity. She will be sadly missed.