Mrs. Julia "Judy" Watts Buchanan

November 3, 1937 - October 9, 2019

Julia (“Judy”) Watts Buchanan died suddenly on October 9 of an aortic aneurysm rupture. She was 81. She was born November 3, 1937, in Huntington, WV, where she enjoyed a happy childhood with a father, Karl G. Watts, who hunted and fished, and a mother, Julia D. Watts, who was known for her southern cooking. She ventured to Washington, DC, to attend boarding school during her high school years, graduating from National Cathedral School in 1955. At a time when few women studied science, she earned her BA in chemistry from Sweet Briar College in 1959. Interested in medical research, she got her first job working at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the emerging field of nuclear medicine. Little did she know then that she would work there for the next 58 years, enjoying a career that engaged her so thoroughly that she reluctantly retired a few months shy of her 80th birthday and continued to do free lance projects until the day she died. She devoted the first 40 years of her career working for Dr. Henry N. Wagner, Jr., a pioneer in nuclear medicine, and she co-edited his textbook, Principles of Nuclear Medicine, through two editions. In the early days, she worked in the lab performing experiments related to radiopharmaceutical development. Later on, she spent most of her time editing faculty grant proposals, manuscripts, and papers delivered at annual meetings of the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging. For over 30 years, she organized the annual nuclear medicine Continuing Medical Education course. As Dr. Martin Pomper, the current director of the Nuclear Medicine Division, commented, “Judy has contributed immeasurably to the Division having helped countless faculty, trainees and visiting scholars in addition to generating her own scholarly work in nuclear medicine.” Judy’s personal life was as full as her professional life. In 1963, she married Charles M. Buchanan, a Baltimore native, who was an investment analyst for USF&G. They raised three children and were married for 24 years until his death at age 58. Although a “working mother” long before that term came into vogue, Judy found time to maintain an active social life, and she enjoyed a wide circle of friends. She was a gracious hostess who loved to entertain. She traveled extensively during her empty nest years and obsessed over her gardens when at home. She was a season ticket holder at Center Stage and the BSO and contributed regularly to various Baltimore museums and institutions, as well as to numerous national organizations. She was a member of the Altar Guild for many years at the Church of the Redeemer. She also was a member of the Elkridge Club, the Mount Vernon Club, and the Maryland Historical Society. She was a devoted mother and grandmother, and she loved spending time with her family, especially during summer vacations on Squam Lake, NH. Judy is survived by her brother, W. Dickinson Watts and his family; her daughter, Julia B. Salovaara and husband Erik; her son William M. Buchanan and wife Julie; her son John S. Buchanan; and three grandchildren, Ellen K. Salovaara, Claire E. Buchanan, and Jay K. Salovaara. A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, 5603 N. Charles St., on November 2 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations made in her name go the Church of the Redeemer or to a Johns Hopkins Hospital department or research program of the donor’s choosing.