Julie Kathleen Anderson's Obituary
Julie Kathleen Anderson March 11, 1964 – September 1, 2013Early Years When William and Mary Anderson held their beautiful fair haired baby girl for the first time at St. Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco, California, they were determined to show her love and the best nurturing any family could give their child. Her older siblings, Cynthia and William, welcomed their new baby sister into their home.As the children grew, Julie, Cindy and their mother loved to frighten each other. They could be so silly. At times, they took turns hiding and jumping out to scare each other. The three would laugh so hard!Julie lived most of her life in the San Mateo and Redwood City area where she attended Central Grade school, Kennedy Middle school and Sequoia High school. She was the type of individual who loved to help others – her heart was as big as the great outdoors. It was her loving personality that helped to determine her career path. Nurturing Nurse Though Julie was nervous and had self doubt, she took the leap and registered for nursing school. She worked hard and her diligence paid off when she graduated with a Certificate in Nursing and Phlebotomy. It wasn’t long before she landed a position as a Certified Nursing Assistant, an occupation she enjoyed for many years. Her family was so proud of the work she did and the positive influence she had on so many people. Her most satisfying work was at an Aids clinic assisting patients in the final stages of their lives.Julie’s daughter, Mary, recalls that when she was young, she would volunteer at the Aids clinic where her mom worked. Having observed her mom in the difficult job of caring for those who are suffering and close to death, she found a new respect for her Mom; Mary realized just how exceptional Julie was.Julie Joker Though things didn’t work out with the first husband, David Burton, or second husband, John De Grave, her three daughters Melissa, Mary and Shelby were her world. She never lost her wicked sense of humor and was quite the prankster when the opportunity presented itself. If something was gross, she would point it out just to see the reaction. Mary recalls how Julie would try to embarrass her with old funny pictures and videos which were shown to her husband and children – “I just got a kick out of seeing how impressed she was with herself.”When Julie was pregnant with her youngest daughter Shelby, she played an April fool’s joke on her friend, Rene Rahall. Imagine Julie, lying on her sister’s living room floor, pretending she was having the baby NOW. Rene “really freaked out” and of course Julie was thrilled thinking how unbearably funny the whole charade was. Julie would find such amusement in trying to convince you that “black was white.” For instance, when she received a ticket for an incomplete stop at a red light, she tried to convince everyone that she did a full stop even though the city’s online video was evidence to the contrary. Everyone had seen the video truth but she still swore she stopped completely!Grateful for Grandchildren Grandchildren were the spice in her life. With flip flops on her feet and a plastic diet Coke™ cup in her hand, she would dance with her youngest granddaughter Gabby, much to everyone’s amusement. Julie found such joy sitting on the floor playing with her and all the toys; a big kid at heart. The joy Julie would find in her grandchildren was priceless and Shelby will never forget how her mom’s face would light up every time her daughter Gabby would tell Grammy “I love you”.Grammy Julie would look forward to looking after Athena and William during the summer. She had so much fun lounging around the pool with them, and from time to time, baking with Athena. Without a doubt, Julie was always happiest when the grand kids were around.Pets Julie’s pets delighted her almost as much as her grandchildren. In fact, once her daughters were adults, her pets became her children. Even as a child, Julie loved to give the family dogs, Peanut and Chika, their baths. She would ensure they were relaxed and unafraid by talking with them throughout their bath time. Over the years, Julie gave a home to many animals. A cocker spaniel named Barkley and a rescued beagle called Nina became best buddies with Julie. Giant Giants Fan It was easy for anyone to know how much Julie adored the San Francisco Giants – her tall thin frame showed off a Giants T-shirt so well. The Giants accessories were amongst her favorite belongings – those and her new pink dress. She would gather some of her favorite comfort foods, take-out from Burger King™ or her mom’s cream tuna on toast, to sit and watch a game. These snacks were not complete without her ice cold diet Coke™. Of course she wouldn’t turn down a few slices of cheddar cheese or sweets such as spearmint spice drops, hard mint candy, cake or cookies.Julie’s love of the Giants spilled into her crafting. The Giants scarves she knit for the whole family were cherished souvenirs of the World Series. With her reading glasses hanging around her neck and her green eyes concentrating on the task at hand, Julie spent many hours creating lovely knitted blankets and scarves. She found such joy in making things for others. Simple Pleasures Julie enjoyed the simple things in life like camping, cleaning, baking and listening to country music. She was devoted to reality television shows such as Big Brother, Survivor, and the Amazing Race. Cruising second hand stores and searching for treasures at garage sales would often result in the acquisition of some really unique new possessions which she was always proud to show off. The love of growing things was demonstrated in Julie’s enjoyment of gardening. She took great pride in her giant zucchini and yellow squash grown every year in her vegetable garden. The secret is out; her magic formula was healthy doses of Miracle Grow™!! A Mother’s Legacy Having made her home in California most of her life, with the exception of a year in Virginia, Julie was a resident of Burlingame for the last thirteen years. A medication complication resulted in her passing at the age of 49. The legacy she has left her family, and demonstrated through example, is that “what matters is that a mother loves her children deeply”. Knowing that life is hard, Julie would always have a loving attitude toward everyone, no matter what; that was the most important thing.Julie is survived by her parents William and Cornelia (nee Walden) Anderson, her two siblings, sister Cynthia (Zorjan) Schykerynec, and brother William Jr. (Dee Dee) Anderson, and her three children Melissa (Andy Deguara) Burton, Mary (Miguel) Chacon and Shelby (Martin) Martinez. Her beloved grandchildren are William and Athena Chacon and Gabby Martinez.A Coastal Range Scattering will be held in Julie’s honor at Skylawn Memorial Park in San Mateo, CA on Friday, October 4th at noon.
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