Julia was born April 28, 1930 in the Panhandle town of Borger, TX to Hall Proctor Pendleton and Velma Denson Pendleton. Weighing under 3 pounds at birth, Julia was feisty and determined to survive and kept that same feistiness all of her 93 years.
The family later moved to Amarillo where Julia attended Amarillo High School and met and married her first love, Charles Kay, Sr. in July, 1948. They worked alongside each other building their upholstery and furniture business in Odessa, TX, all while enjoying playing bridge, bowling, golfing, painting, and going camping and fishing in the Colorado and New Mexico rivers and lakes. Julia was always smiling as she cooked for her family on the open campfire. Together, Charles and Julia raised four children in Odessa. They were active members of Bethany Christian Church and Julia loved her Beta Sigma Phi Sorority where she had many lifelong friends.
In 1968, their oldest son, Michael Kay, preceded them in death when he was tragically killed in an auto accident at age 18. Their whole lives changed. Neither Julia nor Charles ever got over loss of their son, but Julia always knew she had to stay strong to care for her three children, Linda Fulkerson (Skip) Austin, TX; Charles (Chocky) Kay, Jr. (Kathy) Aurora, CO; and Anne Hill (Tom) Port Charlotte, FL. Then, in November 1988, Charles, Sr. passed away from ALS.
Several years later, Julia married Leo Windecker in Midland, TX and he introduced her to the Gulf coast town of Rockport where they enjoyed fishing and traveling. They eventually moved to Cedar Park to be closer to family, where they lived until Leo passed away in February, 2010.
Julia was also preceded in death by her beloved sister Sandra, her husband Jerry Wheeler, and cousin Karen Berg.
Julia’s greatest joy was being blessed with:
5 grandchildren - Kristen Dunnam (Matt), Kara Fulkerson (Jim Kelley), Cami Hamel (John), Jeremy Kay (Shannon), Lacy Wilcox (Josh)
11 great-grandchildren – Chase, Violet, River, Ayla, David (Sierra), Avery (Hunter), Ashley, Kensington, Emma, AJ, Natalie
5 great-great-grandchildren – Kayne, Kaleah, Phoebe, Fiona, Kennedy
The family requests any donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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