Julia Anne Stephens McNabb, 63, of Tolland, was welcomed home by our Lord and Savior due to liver failure caused by Primary Biliary Cholangitis on Monday (April 10, 2017) at Hartford Hospital. She was born on May 6, 1953 in Long Beach, CA, daughter of the late Ernest C. Stephens and Blanche (Keeney) Stephens. Julie grew up in Hollywood and graduated in 1970 from Hollywood High School. Julie worked as an Oracle data base administrator for various banks and insurance companies and was highly regarded as an expert before retiring in 2011. Julie married the love of her life, Bill on October 8, 1994 in Hartford CT, instantly creating a loving family of four with daughters Jennifer and Ashley. The bond between Julie and Bill is that of soulmates, bound together Forever and Always. Bill feels blessed to enjoy an equally loving bond with the two daughters that Julie gifted to him. Julie was a passionate pianist and both a soprano and talented hand bell ringer in church choir. She was extremely skilled at knitting, crochet, cross-stitch, and embroidery, creating many heirloom quality sweaters, scarves, and pieces of art. She loved the outdoors, whether it be taking the dog and grandchildren for walks in the park, or hiking and camping in the mountains with Bill, Jenn, and Ashley (and the dogs), or just the simple joys of working in the garden. Julie’s greatest joy in life was being Mimi. Her love for her three grandchildren is endless. She absolutely loved every minute that she could spend walking, reading, doing handicrafts, or simply blowing bubbles with them. Her greatest fear in the last couple of weeks was imagining the grief that they would feel without her. We pledge to you to keep their memories of you alive. Julie’s attitude in how she lived with her disease has been inspirational to us and to many others. She taught us that once you identify the right motivation for yourself, any life change is possible. She taught us how to live life confident in the saving love of Jesus Christ. She frequently told us that she did not fear dying – she wasn’t ready to go yet, all the way to the end she was not ready. But she did not fear it. And she shared that confidence with the rest of us. The best way that we can honor Julie is to live our lives with that same confidence and to bear witness to it. She is survived by her husband, William Robert McNabb of Tolland, daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer Julia Guerard and Scott Ryan Oliver of Fairbanks AK, daughter and son-in-law Ashley Linnea Wright and Nicholas Adam Wright of Weld ME, grandchildren Michael William Wright and Melanie Linnea Wright of Weld ME and Elise Marie Oliver of Fairbanks AK, sister Victoria R. Taylor and brother David J. Stephens, both of Colorado Springs CO. The family would like to express special thanks and gratitude to the amazing doctors, nurses, and aides at Hartford Hospital, Bliss-11 ICU and Conklin-3 Unit. Their unmatched care and tenderness during her last 3 weeks will never be forgotten.
Open visitation will be from 4:00 – 7:00 PM on Friday April 14, 2017 at the Tolland Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Merrow Rd, Tolland CT. Interment will be Saturday morning April 15, 2017 at Valley Falls Cemetery, Vernon CT. A Memorial Service will be held at 3:00 PM, Saturday April 15 at Calvary Presbyterian Church, 1518 King St, Enfield CT, officiated by Pastor Steve Thayer. May God bless you all, as he has richly blessed Julie and her family. For online condolences please visit www.pietrasfuneralhome.com
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