Joe Judt
1921 – 2016

by Brian Drummond

Brian Drummond, Vice President of the (British) Citroën Car Club writes:

It is with great sadness that I have to report that Joe Judt, President of the Citroën Car Club passed away on the 20th April 2016 aged 95.

Joe joined the Standing Committee of the Club in December, 1957, and when we became a Company Limited by Guarantee in 2001 was one of our first Directors until retiring in 2004 after a total  of 47 years. His first job was as Competitions Secretary, in an era when members, including Joe, regularly entered their Tractions and Panhards in local and national events.  Joe owned a Deutsch & Bonnet Panhard which he raced with some success in the 1960's.

He served terms as Chairman and in 1984 was elected Club President.

Undoubtedly, his major contribution to the Club was as  Editor of the ‘Citroenian’, which he first took on in 1970 until 1976. Then in 1993, Joe stepped into the breach once again and in the absence of any other takers he remained our Editor until 2005. Joe edited over 200 issues of the ‘Citroenian’ and never once was it not at the printers on time.

On his retirement he was presented with a large scale model of his beloved 1966 DS Décapotable which was a familiar sight at club meetings.  He owned the Décap from around 1968 until a few years ago when he was obliged to give up driving, having covered some 300,000 miles in that car.

However, the ‘Citroenian’ is only one part of Joe’s contribution to the Club, his words of wisdom and experience at Standing Committee and Board meetings over the years have been invaluable and have been missed since his retirement from the board.  There were good times and difficult ones, but with Joe at hand we always pulled through.

In recent times  Joe's failing health and eyesight have meant that he has been unable to take part in club activities, but prior to this he was a very familiar figure at club meetings, always the gentleman and willing to have a chat and give freely of his considerable knowledge of all things Citroën.

He leaves a daughter, Debbie, and I am sure that all who knew Joe will wish to join me in passing on their condolences.

I too would like to pass on my condolences. 
I worked with Joe on the Standing Committee for a number of years and it was he who agreed to my suggestion in 1993 that I write a column called Iconoclast where I was given carte blanche to be controversial and wide-ranging. On Standing Committee, he could be quite a tough opponent and his points were always well-argued.  His enthusiasm for the marque and the Club were boundless, as was his energy. I feel honoured to have known him.