Judith "Judy" Lesan

Judith “Judy” Nilsen Lesan, 67, of Belfast, Maine, passed away on July 28, 2026.

Judy was born on August 3, 1958, in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Geraldine and Helge Nilsen. She grew up alongside her four brothers and sisters, Leif, Laila, Erik, and Heidi. The bond they formed as children lasted throughout their lives. Their annual summer birthday gathering remained a treasured tradition, filled with laughter, reminiscing, and plenty of stories about the mischief and adventures they shared growing up.

Judy moved to Maine in 1976 and made it her home. Within a few years, she began working at Ducktrap River Fish Farm, where she held a variety of positions throughout her career. A hard and motivated worker, Judy took great pride in what she did, but it was the people she valued most. Her coworkers became a second family, and many of those friendships lasted well beyond her years at Ducktrap.Judy held a Bachelor of Arts in Social Science and was a licensed massage therapist. After retiring from Ducktrap, she opened her own massage therapy business, where her outgoing nature and genuine interest in others once again led to many wonderful and lasting friendships.

Judy was fearless, determined, and always ready for an adventure. She and her daughter, Belinda, traveled the world together, visiting Alaska, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, exploring Tanzania and the Serengeti on safari, trekking to Everest Base Camp, and completing a half marathon on the Great Wall of China, among many other adventures. The journeys were not always easy. There were difficult hikes, altitude, illness, and moments when continuing took sheer determination, but giving up simply wasn't Judy's way. She persevered, usually with a story to tell afterward, and created memories with her daughter that will be treasured forever.That determination was balanced by a playful sense of humor. Judy loved a good practical joke, especially when one of her family members was the unsuspecting target. She was outgoing and kind, and people were naturally drawn to her. Judy had a wonderful ability to see the best in people and approached others with openness and genuine warmth.

Family was at the heart of Judy's life. She cherished her siblings, her daughter and son-in-law, her grandchildren, and the extended family she loved so dearly. In recent years, she found particular happiness in the time she spent with her grandson, Siberius. He was a tremendous light and source of joy in her life, and their time together was deeply special to her.

Judy will be remembered for her adventurous spirit, her determination, her humor, her kindness, and the way she embraced both people and life. She worked hard, traveled far, laughed often, loved her family deeply, and rarely backed away from a challenge.

She was predeceased by her parents, Geraldine and Helge Nilsen.

Judy is survived by her daughter, Belinda McDowell, and her husband, Anthony McDowell; her grandchildren, Jack McDowell and his wife, Lauren, Finn McDowell, Helen McDowell, and Siberius Lesan; and her siblings, Leif Nilsen, Laila Morris, Erik Nilsen, and Heidi Ford, along with extended family and the many friends she made throughout her life.

A celebration of Judy's life will be held at Darby's Restaurant in downtown Belfast on Sunday, September 13, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Family and friends are invited to gather, share memories and stories, and celebrate a life filled with family, friendship, laughter, and extraordinary adventure.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Pink Runway Project, a Bangor-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting breast cancer patients and improving access to breast cancer care throughout Maine.