Julia Anthea Nelson

Julia Anthea Nelson May 9, 1980 - October 27, 2013 The family of Julia Anthea Nelson, in great sadness, announces that Julia passed away peacefully on October 27, 2013 with her family at her side after a six-month struggle with leukemia. Julia's amazing courage, grace and humour during this difficult time sustained us all. Although Julia's time with us was tragically shortened by illness she was confident that she'd had a happy life and wanted us to celebrate.

Julia was born in Brockville, Ont. and moved with her family to Coquitlam in 1981. After attending Baker Drive and Parkland Elementary Schools, Dr. Charles Best Junior High and Centennial Senior High School in Coquitlam, Julia attended UBC and graduated in 2003 with a B.A. in Religious Studies. Julia loved religious scholarship and continued to pursue studies in Hebrew and the Bible until the end of her life. Her dream was to obtain a PhD in Religious Studies.

In 2004 Julia moved to Montreal to enroll in the Masters of Library Science program at McGill University. At McGill Julia met the love of her life, James Fournie, who became her husband in 2008. Upon graduation from McGill in 2006, Julia pursued her dream of living in New York City and worked at the New York Public Library at the Bronx Library Center. This was a tremendous learning experience that helped her throughout her library career. Upon her return to the Lower Mainland, Julia worked in the Terry Fox Library in Port Coquitlam and the Coquitlam Public Library and in 2010 became the Teen Services Librarian for the Burnaby Public Library.

Julia had the gift of friendship and made many wonderful and lasting friends wherever she went. Julia leaves her beloved husband James Fournie, parents Paul and Penny Nelson, sisters Martha Flower (Tom Flower) and Tristane Nelson (Rob McBeth), nieces Audrey and Tessie Flower, grandfather Meredith O. Nelson, and many loving uncles, aunts and cousins. Also, left to mourn are her parents-in-law, Ruth and Ted King and Rob Fournie and Margaret McSorley and sister-in-law Chelsey Fournie (Dave Henderson) and nephew Zachary Henderson. Julia leaves her adorable Welsh terrier, Birdie, to our care and love.

Donations in Julia's name to the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation with direction to the Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Programme would be gratefully received. Julia received the most incredibly skilled and kind treatment from the Leukemia and Bone Marrow Transplant and outpatients teams at VGH and her family can never thank her caregivers enough, in particular the wonderful nursing staff.

A Celebration of Life for Julia will be held at Como Lake United Church in Coquitlam, B.C. at 11:00 am on November 5, 2013.