A local poet who grew up in Manhattan and resided in Miami Beach, Florida for the latter years of her life, Judith Anne Berke (Sep 9, 1931 - Jul 24, 2013) wrote and published several works that embody the spirit of Florida, its unique history and its people. She attended Smith College in her youth and began writing when she was 49 years of age then published her first book in 1989. Outside of writing, she studied painting at l'Academie de la Grande Chaumiere in Paris and was a skilled sculptor. She also studied acting, designed puppets, and sang in the Opera Guild of Greater Miami, demonstrating a huge breadth of talent that spanned many disciplines.

Her papers include her manuscripts, drafts, and poems either in notebooks or in typescripts. Also included are some of her scrapbooks and a sculpted bust.