Judith Lee Margolis' Obituary
Judy Margolis of Tucson and Sante Fe, made her last buying trip on Wednesday, February 4th 2026. She passed away in her mother’s home in Tucson.
A Tucson High School (58’) graduate, and world traveler in her teen’s, she attended the University of Arizona and later The University of Mexico City studying Art and Anthology. While living in Mexico City she worked for CARE, and picked up additional work as a translator. For a brief period in 68’, she put together a baby-sitting service for foreign families attending the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
After living in Mexico City, she split her time between San Christobal de las Casas, Chiapas Mexico, and Guatemala working with Gertrude “Trudy” Blom, photographer and wife of Frans Ferdinand Blom, at the Mayan Historical Center and Museum in Mexico. Danish Archaeologist Frans Blom was one of the great authorities on Mayan culture, who had discovered several long-lost cites of the Mayan culture, c.300-900 AD. It was here, working a long side Trudy that Judy fell in love with pre-Columbian woven fabric and artifacts of the period. She helped photograph and catalog artifacts for the museum.
In 1969’, she started her first business in Tucson with Marilyn Grant, on 6th street. Together they sold clothing and native Indian arts from Mexico and Latin America and from around the world. In the 1970’, Judy opened “The Departure Store” in Tucson.
She came into prominence after an interview about the Store appeared in Women’s Wear Daily. Sometime after that, other Stores were opened in Beverly Hills, and Boulder.
Early travels for merchandise, took her to Afghanistan, Iran and later New Delhi, where she designed and manufactured clothing for import and worldwide sales under the name “New Morning Designs,” along with a best friend Molly.
Judy was a risk taker her whole life, who made life-long friends along the way. While traveling in Mexico and India, she helped establish cooperatives to make clothing and other items for sale. In India, she helped create a cotton gauze fabric, which was first used in New Morning designed clothing, and later spread throughout the clothing industry.
After the sale of the Departure Store in 1979’, she traveled again to Afghanistan. This time against US State Dept. wishes, just weeks after the Russian invasion in 1980. She shopped in Kabul, when the streets were full of Russian tanks and military personnel.
The items purchased included: Oriental rugs, ethnic jewelry, tribal arts, camel bags, and hand-woven fabric. This inventory comprised the basis of a new store specializing in ethnic clothing and tribal arts called “Origins.” The new store was located in Santa Fe, just off the main square.
Origins was the first store of its’ type in Santa Fe. Others would follow, but Origins was the first and led the way for forty years. She appeared on an NBC Today Show segment high-lighting Sante Fe in the 1990’s, and was then featured again, in a Women’s Wear Daily article high lighting her unique marketing skills in 2001. Among other things, Judy was one of the first, to put on Trunk Shows, and feature clothing as Wearable Art.
She was a woman with boundless energy, who cared about people. Santa Fe and New Delhi were her favorite cities and she had extended families in each.
Born in Detroit, she spent most of her childhood in Los Angeles, before her family moved to Tucson. She was the daughter of Herbert & Mildred Margolis (deceased) and is survived by her brother Michael Margolis, (Lida Haden) of Tucson, with longest and closest friend, Arlene Leaf of Tucson. She loved being Aunt Judy to her many cousins, friend’s children and grandchildren.
In addition to her family, she leaves behind dear friends in Tucson, Santa Fe, New York, Dallas, Huston, Ft. Worth, Mexico City and New Delhi.
In lieu of flowers, friends may make donations to Animal Protection New Mexico, or Espanola Humane of Santa Fe.
A remembrance of Judy’ life will be held in Tucson, March 3rd 2026 at the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Because space is limited, those wishing to attend should text Mike Margolis at (520) 870-5400 or email: [email protected] for details.
Condolences or special memories may also be shared at https://evergreenmortuary-cemetary.com
What’s your fondest memory of Judith?
What’s a lesson you learned from Judith?
Share a story where Judith's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Judith you’ll never forget.
How did Judith make you smile?