There has been a huge outpouring of grief following the death of Judy Zussman – eight months after her husband Jack passed away
Judy and Jack Zussman(Image: Menorah Synagogue)
Judy and Jack Zussman were pillars of their cherished community. Widely known and respected, the good they did cannot be overstated. The couple, from Gatley, Stockport, died just under eight months apart.
Jack – Professor Zussman – passed away last August aged 100. Obituaries appeared online and in community newsletters as friends, family and former colleagues paid tribute to the academic.
Now they are mourning Judy – an ‘adored wife, sister, mother, grandmother and great grandmother’ – following an unthinkable tragedy.
On Wednesday (April 16), police were called to the Zussman’s house on Altrincham Road. The semi-detached family home was sealed off as forensic teams were called in.
It was later revealed a murder investigation had been launched and that a 39-year-old woman detained. Neighbours spoke of their shock as the home – once filled with love and happiness – became a crime scene.
On Thursday (April 17), the 93-year-old was named as her family paid tribute. “Judy was a much loved and devoted wife to her late husband Jack, and an adored sister, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother,” a statement read.
Police and forensics at the home on Altrincham Road, Gatley, Stockport(Image: Ryan Jenkinson | Manchester Evening News)
“Her family meant the world to her. We are extremely grateful for the outpouring of support at this tragic time. We kindly ask for privacy as we process our sad loss.”
Police said the arrested woman had been detained under the Mental Health Act.
Judy and Jack were beloved members of the Jewish community in and around Stockport and south Manchester.
The pair were dedicated to the Menorah Synagogue, just over the Gatley border in Sharston. The husband and wife joined in 1975. They held significant roles, with Jack serving as chairman between 1984 and 1986.
He also ran Adults Requiring Knowledge (ARK) sessions for nearly a decade, with Judy making smoked salmon bagels alongside him before every meeting.
Online tributes from the time of Jack’s death say the couple met in 1959. The esteemed mineralogist asked her to borrow a record – West Side Story – to get to know her.
Judy was a nursing sister at Manchester Royal Infirmary at the time, while Jack was a lecturer at the University of Manchester.
They married in 1960, spending some of their earliest years together in Oxford after Jack was appointed to a Readership in Oxford University.
Police at the scene following the tragedy(Image: Ryan Jenkinson | Manchester Evening News)
In 1967, he took up the post as Professor of Geology, and head of department in Manchester, and the couple settled here.
They had three children and went on to become grandparents and great grandparents. Jack’s career in Manchester – and on the global mineralogical stage – continued to go from strength to strength.
After publishing five volumes now regarded as seminal reference works on rock-forming minerals, he was honoured by having a mineral named after him. Zussmanite went on display at the Manchester Museum.
Last summer, the couple celebrated Jack’s 100th birthday. A photo shows the pair posing with a cake. Jack sadly died around a month later.
Tributes have poured in following Judy’s death.
“RIP Judy. Such a kind, gentle woman. At peace with her beloved Jack. Heartfelt condolences to the family,” Ellen Fenwick Friedberg wrote.
“Terrible news. Jack was my head of department when I was a student and later a much-loved colleague even though he was long retired, and he was devoted to his wife and family. We can only take heart that they are now reunited,” Helen Weedon added.
An investigation is ongoing into the circumstances surrounding Judy’s death.
Cheadle MP Tom Morrison described it as a ‘very difficult day for Gatley’. “No one should ever have to experience such a loss, and I know the whole community will share in the sense of shock and sadness at [the] news,” he added.
Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Adam Hitchen said on Wednesday: “The priority for our investigation is understanding the full circumstances which led to this tragic incident and getting justice for the victim.
“Our thoughts are with the victim’s family, who are aware and are being supported by specialist officers. We recognise that this investigation may cause concern within the local community, but I want to assure the public that this is an isolated incident, with a swift arrest made, and no wider threat.
“You will notice an increased presence in the area today whilst we conduct enquiries, but also across the coming days as the local neighbourhood team look to provide reassurance to those living close by.”