A Legacy of Scholarship, Service and Compassion

Remembering Dr. Judith Page

By Ryan Clark
CHS Communications Director

It was 2015 when Dr. Judith Page served as the President of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association and she took the stage as the Master of Ceremonies for the Opening Ceremony and Awards Gala.

“I can still picture her; radiant, and glowing with pride and enthusiasm,” said Richard Andreatta, PhD, ASHA Fellow and Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders (CSD) and in the Rehabilitation and Health Sciences Doctoral Program (RHB). “In that moment, I truly understood just how extraordinary she was and how deeply she shaped our profession.”

Andreatta said he’d always known that Page was a major figure in the field.

“But that evening brought it home in the most vivid of ways,” he said. “Her humble, reserved nature never hinted at the powerhouse of leadership she carried within, yet there it was, on stage, for all to see.”

Page, PhD, CCC-SLP, FASHA, FNAP and a professor and speech language pathologist whose career at UK spanned more than 45 years, passed away unexpectedly while in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 24.

A longtime member of Faith Lutheran Church, a Memorial Service is planned for 2 p.m., Saturday, March 21, 2026. She is survived by her brother Richard and wife Cindy, sister Janice, nieces and nephews Christina Crowther and husband Al, Ryan Donohue, Lindsay, Holly and Hunter, great-nephew Brandon Crowther, great-niece Charlotte Crowther, and partner Elaine Billington.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Faith Lutheran Church, 1000 Tates Creek Road, Lexington, KY 40502; American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, 2200 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850; or a favorite animal rescue organization.

Do you have a favorite memory of Judy? Visit this link and share your thoughts.

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Colleagues say Page’s sudden absence has left a void, something they are still dealing with.

“I will miss Judy’s friendship and her quiet strength,” Andreatta said. “I will miss her saltwater taffy that she brought us every year from her beach vacations. I will miss her reason and breathtaking analytical mind. I will miss our quiet ‘rivalry’ during football season since she was a Purdue grad and I was an IU alum. I will miss her kindness and wise counsel, but most of all, I think I will just miss her presence. She was a calming force in an environment that could frequently be turbulent. Judy taught me what it meant to be ‘faculty’ through her example. I carry with me her sense of giving and the recognition that, as faculty, we have a profound responsibility to support each other and our students above all else.”

Born May 15, 1949, in Washington D.C., Page received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota, her master’s degree from the University of Illinois and her doctorate in audiology and speech sciences from Purdue University. She held a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

She joined UK in 1980 as an assistant professor in the Department of Special Education. Over the next 45 years, she would accumulate countless honors at not only the university level, but at the pinnacle of the SLP profession, like serving as President of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association. In 2022, she was named a University Research Professor, an honor given to faculty members who demonstrate excellence that addresses scientific, social, cultural and economic challenges in the Commonwealth, across the region and around the world.

She always said her scholarly efforts were inspired by a statement from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association about the importance of “making effective communication a human right, accessible and achievable for all.”

Her primary areas of interest included communication intervention strategies for persons with severe disabilities and augmentative and alternative communication systems. She also focused on early intervention and interprofessional education and practice.

During her more than four decades of service, Page received external support for her scholarly activities via more than $12,850,000 in sponsored grants and contracts.

Still, she may be most remembered for her razor-sharp intellect, her calming voice, her wit, and her love of puns and command of English grammar. She was a problem-solver, friends say. And students remarked on her ability to be compassionate and show care for them while holding them to high standards.

Jacqueline Kearns, EdD, said she was fortunate to have Dr. Page serve on her Master’s in Special Education committee in the mid-1980s, when speech language pathologists were in UK’s Taylor Education Building.

“Since then, Dr. Page, Dr. Jane Kleinert and I have worked diligently over the last 15 years or so to improve communication outcomes for students who are non-speaking and need augmentative alternative communication or AAC,” said Kearns, principal investigator for the University of Kentucky. “We trained teachers and SLPs across the state — many journeys from Hazard to Paducah. I would say (she was a) strong advocate for AAC Users with complex communication needs — which is indeed rare to find expertise in that area, (and a) kind, caring and committed leader.”

“We are all deeply saddened by the loss of our colleague and friend, Judy Page,” said Anne Olson, PhD, CCC/A, Audiologist and chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. “She has been a pillar of this program for the past 45 years. During that time, she has deeply and positively impacted literally thousands of students and colleagues across our program, the College, the University, state and nation. Such an employment record is virtually unheard of these days and leaves a lasting legacy that will be hard to match.”

Allison Hatcher, PhD, CCC-SLP and an Assistant Professor in UK’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, said she was always amazed how Page’s work positively influenced others around the world.

“I feel like she always looked for the best in people and that is a wonderful trait,” Hatcher said. “I am so grateful to have had the privilege of being mentored by such an incredible SLP, dear friend, and colleague. No one influenced my career more than Dr. Judy Page. I truly would not be where I am today without her guidance, support, and belief in me.”

Janice Kuperstein, PhD, PT, MSEd, FNAP and Associate Dean for Faculty Advancement & Clinical Engagement in the College of Health Sciences, said Page was not only a brilliant academic leader, but a cherished friend and mentor to many people.

“Her dedication to improving lives through communication were evident in everything she did,” Kuperstein said. “She mentored students at the undergraduate and graduate levels as well as professional colleagues and teachers who went on to touch literally thousands of children in school systems throughout Kentucky as well as at a national level and international level. In fact, most of those children and families never actually knew her, but the impact on their lives through intentional intervention in their education has been immeasurable.”

Through her leadership in the College, Kuperstein said Page mentored faculty from all disciplines as they moved through their academic careers. She also used her voice to communicate love to others through singing in her church choir as a founding member of SisterSound — a community choir for women seeking to provide a musically creative atmosphere for women who love to sing, while celebrating diversity and acceptance.

“Judy’s laughter, playfulness, wisdom, and compassion will be deeply missed,” Kuperstein said.

Jody Deem, PhD and Associate Professor Emeritus for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, followed Page into the role of program director.

“I followed Judy into the role as she went on to new responsibilities, which included her work as President of the American Speech, Language, & Hearing Association (ASHA). As a newcomer to the role of Director, I frequently sought advice from Judy,” Deem said. “What I learned in a very short time was that Judy Page was one of the most amazing ‘quick smart’ people I had ever known.

“Basically, just about everyone is ‘smart’ on a university faculty,” Deem continued. “But Judy was lightning smart. I might have spent hours or even days trying to come up with a solution to an accreditation problem, a curriculum problem, etc. I would run it by Judy, and she could design a reasoned solution to the problem I had been working on in an instant. Many times, (she) saved me when an ASHA accreditation site visitor was lurking in the hall. I admired that so much, and some days I was genuinely envious of it. It seems impossible that she can be gone almost in an instant.”

Scott Lephart, PhD and Dean of the College of Health Sciences, said the entire University will miss her.

“Judith Page’s impact on the University of Kentucky and on the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders is immeasurable,” he said. “She was a scholar of extraordinary depth, a mentor whose guidance shaped generations, and a colleague whose kindness strengthened our entire community. Judith dedicated her career to elevating the lives of others, and her legacy will continue to resonate through the students she taught, the patients she served, and the standards of excellence she helped establish. We are heartbroken by her loss, but profoundly grateful for the light she brought to our College and to the world.”

Do you need assistance?

• Call 859-257-9355 option 1 to schedule an appointment with a mental health therapist, specific to this situation. 
   
• Additionally LiveHealth online – offers mental health virtually for Health Plan members, available 24/7 with a $0 co-pay
   
• Connect with a mental health therapist  
   
• UK’s EmPATH Unit – 859-562-3899, EmPATH Website – Provides 24/7 specialized mental health and substance use crisis care in a supportive environment.