Edith Doreen (Juilleret) Arnold was born on June 21, 1940, in Petoskey, Michigan, to Florence (Lloyd) and Earl Donovan Juilleret of Harbor Springs, Michigan, where she became known as “Edee” to family and friends. She was active during school years with swimming, playing saxophone in the band, church youth group, skiing, and helping with her family’s business. She graduated from Harbor Springs High School in June, 1958, in a class of 36 which included two first cousins: Nancy (Juilleret) Foster of Hessel, Michigan, and William “Bill” Juilleret of Cheboygan, Michigan, and Aransas Pass, Texas.
She moved to Highland Park, Michigan, in 1958 to begin a career in nursing with a three-year program at Highland Park General Hospital where she adopted a new nickname of “Julie.” After being certified as a Registered Nurse (R.N.), she worked for several doctors and hospitals in the Detroit area. One year while she was working at Hutzel Women’s Hospital, the hospital sponsored a Nurse-of-the Year contest. When all the votes were tallied, they announced that Julie was the winner!
She began attending Highland Park Presbyterian Church (now Park United Presbyterian Church) and joined its Sanctuary Choir where she met many new friends including Bob Arnold, a Chrysler engineer. Julie and Bob were married in that church on August 23, 1968, took a honeymoon trip through central Europe, and then began life together in their first home in north central Detroit. Sons Robert (b. 2/71), Timothy (b. 8/73), Thomas (b. 12/74), and William (b. 1/78) added many new dimensions to the developing family. Julie was a dedicated Mom during those years, but she found time on weekends to keep up with her profession. She became an active participant in an excellent community pre-school program for her sons. She was the organizer of, and a major driver in, several amazing car pools for alternative schools and swim team practices. She led the planning of family camping trips which took the family (and pets) to many of the beautiful national parks and to Washington, D.C. She also served the church in many capacities including teacher, youth group leader, Deacon, Elder, and Clerk of Session.
The Arnold family moved from Detroit to Ossineke, Michigan, in 1985, and Julie was very busy getting each of the boys settled in their new home, school, and swim team. Then, she found two opportunities to make use of her professional skills, by teaching nursing courses at Alpena Community College and by serving as a hospice nurse in Alpena County. She also served the First Presbyterian Church of Alpena as an Elder and participated in their Women’s Study Group. The three oldest sons graduated from Alpena High School in 1989, 1991, and 1992, respectively, and began their college studies.
In 1993, the family home moved from Michigan to Kingwood, Texas, where Bob had found an opportunity for a second career with a forensic engineering firm. Will graduated from Kingwood High School in 1996 and began his college studies. Julie found opportunities to serve the greater Lake Houston area as a hospice nurse based at Northeast Hospital in Humble, Texas, as a member of the Board of Directors of Family Promise of Lake Houston, and as a Deacon at Atascocita Presbyterian Church in Atascocita, Texas. She learned to ring handbells at APC and was invited to join Strikepoint, a community handbell choir. She retired from her much-loved career in nursing in 2003 and began spending summers in Michigan and winters in Texas.
The sons’ careers took them in a variety of directions and distances from home, but Julie always looked forward to the next opportunity for a family gathering, especially for Thanksgiving and Christmas in Kingwood and for summertime on the beach in Ossineke. Those gatherings grew larger over the years with the gradual addition of four daughters-in-law to the family. Health issues began affecting Julie’s quality of life in 2014 and led to major surgery and a lengthy recovery in 2016. Julie and Bob celebrated their 50th anniversary in Kingwood with the available family members in August, 2018 and their 52nd anniversary privately (COVID rules) in August, 2020.
Julie departed from her life, family, and friends on Friday, March 5, 2021 in the hospital in Humble, Texas. She was preceded in death by her parents and her baby sister Catherine. She is survived by her husband Bob, sons Rob (Nam), Tim (Jeannene), Tom (Jessica), and Will (Erin), grandsons Aeddon (Jaime) and Donovan, great-grandson Carter, and cousins Nancy and Bill (Judy).
Two memorial services to celebrate Julie’s life and accomplishments are being planned, one at Atascocita Presbyterian Church in Atascocita, Texas, at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 5, 2021, and one at First Presbyterian Church in Alpena, Michigan, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 17, 2021, subject to local COVID guidelines at those dates. Please contact a member of the family for directions or additional information.
per R. Arnold, husband
4/15/21
