Julah Ray Steen's Obituary
Julah R Steen
April 29, 1925 ' May 17, 2013
Julah Steen Passed away suddenly after a brief illness, on May 17, 2013 in Tracey Ca.
She was 88 years old.
Julah was born to Vina Smithson and Tasso Steen, in Dongola, Arkansas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Brothers: Don Bryan (Pauline), Coy Bryan (Ivy), Willie Steen, Paul Steen, Clarence Steen (JoAnn), Sisters: Opal Hollis (Albert), Mildred Harrell (James). Nephews: Clifton Bryan, James Hollis, Eddie Hoover, Kevin Steen. Nieces: Beverly Fredrickson, and Rhonda Rose.
She is survived by her two sisters, Alta Hensley, of Pleasant Hill, Ca. and Rhoda Eichelberger of Emeryville, Ca. and brother-in-law Russell Hensley of Pleasant Hill, Ca. and Sister-in-law Modean Steen of Western Grove, Arkansas.
She is also survived by 8 nephews, 9 nieces, 20 great nephews, 11 great nieces, 6 great, great, nephews, and 10 great, great, nieces, and many more great, great, great, nieces and nephews.
She was a much loved sister and aunt, from a large family of which she had 4 sisters and 5 brothers, growing up on a farm in Arkansas, in the Ozark Mountains, before, during and after the Great Depression.
She moved to California during WWII with the rest of her family, and settled in Emeryville, Ca. She went to work in the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, Ca. She was a welder. She couldn't get hired because she didn't weigh enough, so she went back home, put on two sets of clothes and went back and weighed in, and was hired.
After the war, she worked at various jobs, until she was hired at Standard Register, a carbon paper factory where she worked for many years. After they closed she went to work with her sister Mildred at Langendorf Bakeries, where she worked until she retired.
She lived at home with her parents until the 1960's, until she bought her home on Quigley Street in Oakland with her friend Helen Gregory. Helen moved out in 1974 and moved to a place they had bought on the Tracy River. Julah stayed behind and lived alone until her brother Paul moved in with her in 1985. After he passed away in 1990, Julah was alone again until 1991 when Mildred's husband James passed away. Mill & Julah spent retirement years between Clearlake and Oakland, for awhile, until they decided it was too much to drive back and forth, and Mill moved with Julah in 1999.
Soon after, Mill decided to give up driving, and Julah was the chauffer for awhile, until an accident with a semi unloading groceries at the grocery store. (They backed in under it) and was almost decapitated, had to use the Jaws of life to get Mill out, but they had the car towed home because it had new tires and a good battery, (somebody could probably use them). You have to remember they were raised during the depression. This is when they were given the nicknames Thelma & Louise.
When they gave up driving, her nieces, Rhonda and Susan, and her sister Rhoda became their chauffeurs, grocery shoppers, and drivers to their Drs appts. When Rhonda passed away suddenly in 2007, it was just Susan and Rhoda. We all enjoyed the time we spent together, gave us time to visit, catch up, tell stories, laugh, and enjoy a piece of cake or goodies Mill had made.
Alta & Russell would come over on the weekends and visit with the girls, Russell would mow the grass, or do some handyman work they had lined up for him. Retirement was good for them for awhile.
Mill, who had heart trouble for 30 years, became ill with Congestive heart failure in June of 2010, and a cure was not to be. She passed away on Oct. 17, 2010.
Helen invited Julah down for the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays, and invited her to stay on with her in Tracy. Julah decided to try it for awhile and decided to stay. She spent the remainder of her life there, with Helen and her friends, but stayed in touch with her family. She sold her much loved home in Nov. 2012 without ever going back, to see it again.
She became ill right after that, and in Feb. 2013 was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. She was readmitted to hospital on May 9, 2013 and brought home to Tracy on May 15, 2013 on Hospice and passed away at 4 AM on the 17th , with Helen at her side.
Her sister Rhoda, niece Susan & Angie, nephew Kenny, spent time with her at the hospital before she was taken back to Tracy. Her nephew Gary Alan was there when the ambulance came to take her away, he stayed with her until they came, to say goodbye.
She loved her family, you knew it by the way she lived her life, and those she helped along the way. And her family loved her... we will all miss her... Until we meet again,
Reunited with the Lord.
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