Julia Mary Lemke

A Celebration of Life will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 919 NE 96th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday, November 6, 2018. Visitation will be held from 5:30pm-7:00pm followed by the funeral from 7:00pm-8:00pm with a reception to follow. Burial will be Wednesday, November 7 at 10:00 AM at Resurrection North Cemetery.

Julie was born in Gregory, South Dakota to James Frank and Julia (Panka) Petrik on September 28, 1920. She was the youngest of seven siblings who grew up on a farm homesteaded by her parents south of town. She graduated from Gregory High School with her brother Jim who waited one year to start high school so the two youngest children in the family could finish together. She then attended Tri-State Business School in Sioux City, Iowa. During her education Cudahy Packing Co. called the school in need of a secretary. Julie was hired soon after and it was there she met the love of her life Wayne.

They were married on September 7, 1946, after he had returned from service in the US Army in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Work resumed for Wayne at Cudahy and with promotions came transfers. The couple eventually made homes in Omaha, Nebraska, Wichita, Kansas, Garden City, Kansas, and one final move with Farmland Industries to Kansas City, Missouri, where they retired.

A much-loved sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother Julie lived a long and active life. She told many wonderful stories of her life on the farm with the yearly hiring of harvest threshers, the batches of fresh baked kolaches made to feed the hungry crews, the times spent hunting pheasants after the harvest, and the general hi-jinks seven youngsters can get into on the farm. With the arrival of four children of her own Julie became active for many years in scouting as a den mother and was president of the first PTSA organization at New Mark Junior High School. She eventually returned to the workforce and after a number of rewarding years retired from Montgomery Wards. She was an avid golfer, traveler, bridge player, choir member, RCIA mentor, square dancer, and bowler. Yet despite the number of activities she participated in she always seemed to have a “bean in the pot” ready for family and friends to enjoy. An excellent cook one always felt welcome and then well-fed in Julie’s kitchen.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne, her six siblings, and her grand-daughter Paige. She is survived by her four children Marsha (Paul) Stallsworth, Mike (Kathy), Mark, and Dave; grandchildren Ryan (Brandie), Matthew (Jackie), and Peter Stallsworth; and two great-grandchildren Jonas and Luke. The family would like to especially thank all the wonderful members of Holy Family who over the years looked after Mom and treated her like she was family, to the St. Joseph’s Women’s Group for their thoughtful service, to the monthly Thursday bridge group for over forty plus years of hanging in there, and to the excellent caring staff at Linden Woods Village for making Mom’s transition from this life to the next as easy as possible. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Holy Family Catholic Church.

Services under the arrangement of McGilley Antioch Chapel, 3325 NE Vivion, Kansas City, MO 816-453-7700