Reminisce With Judy
October 25, 2017
If you’ve been to Glendorn, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Judith “Judy” Crooks. She’s our Director of Lodging… and oh-so-much more. The summer of 2017 marked 40 years since Judy started working at Glendorn! Congrats Judy! We salute you and thank you.
What a milestone for Judy! We can hardly believe it’s been 40 years. Judy is as sprightly as ever and we are grateful for all her contributions here. She is a valued member of the Glendorn family.
Judy’s special brand of hospitality magic is seen in so many corners on the property. She is the personified testament of dedication, commitment and leadership. Through four decades, as she’s grown her own family, she’s witnessed the growth of Glendorn, including seeing the Dorn family expand—marriages, children and grandchildren. Not to mention, all the additions and improvements to the property she’s been around for, including many that have happened in recent years.
You might say Judy is both the “eyes and the ears” of Glendorn. She certainly has seen and heard it all, and is a special part of the Glendorn story.
Known for going the extra mile with looking after our guest cabins and suite accommodations, Judy ensures there’s never a vase without fresh flowers, or a cabin cookie jar that isn’t full of our freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies. (Yes, among the numerous tasks she does, she oversees the magical, and seemingly immediate, re-appearance of the legendary cookies you all love to eat!)
We took a little time out of Judy’s schedule recently to sit down and chat (but not before she rearranged the fresh flowers as she walked in the room!) She enthused us with highlights of her tenure (so far!) at Glendorn. Here are just a few.
When we asked Judy how she started at Glendorn, she summed it up like this:
“I responded to an ad in the paper, had an interview, then was asked when I could start. When I replied, ‘anytime’, I was asked, ‘how about tomorrow?!'”
And so the 40-year history began. Judy says, “I started in dining! Then moved around from there. Now, I do a little bit of everything, except for the office… and love it!”
“It’s been a beautiful property, a beautiful experience here over the years,” she adds.
Reminiscing about different holidays, Judy regaled us with various stories of the Dorn family, from the days when the kids would come to the property as “camp” for the entire summer—those were the days of the children eating in the Playhouse, with the post-dinner tradition of ice cream and lollipops, followed by the Crossley fire truck rides down to Bondieu to feed the fish.
Through it all, the Dorns valued Judy’s contribution to the family. She recalled:
“One year, they brought a wagon inside, and after dinner, they took the tablecloth off the table and put it around me like I was a queen, and then we sat in the wagon in the room … there were always fun things like that. Whenever I see the family, it’s just like old reunion time!”
She notes that visitors to Glendorn often treat it as a reunion spot, “We have several repeat guests… because once you come here, you want to make it a destination place yearly.”
Judy also confirmed that the much-loved signature chocolate chip cookies—a Dorn family recipe—have always been part of life at Glendorn.
Of the more recent years, she enthused, “Mr. Forrest has put love into the property, with Tracy as well, and it’s so nice to have them take an interest and just love the property as the Dorn family did. They haven’t taken anything away from the character.”
Wrapping up our conversation with Judy, we asked her what would be one thing she’d miss the most if she left Glendorn. She quickly replied:
“I can’t answer that because I’ve never thought about it! Honestly, I know I’m celebrating 40 years here, but it just seems like time has stood still.”
It’s no wonder Judy says Glendorn feels like home. And she’s a key part of making guests feel that way when they come to Glendorn.
Again, THANK YOU for 40 wonderful years of service, Judy!