Julie Day

Julie was born Julia Anne Davis in a suburb of Indianapolis, IN, after an eight-year battle with ovarian cancer she passed away at Ava’s House on December 18, 2025.

Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. The date of the funeral is January 16, 2026. Visitation to start at 3:30 pm and services to start at 4:30 pm.

She was raised by parents on the move with promotions from Indianapolis to St. Louis, to Sioux City to Sioux Falls, and while she was at college the family moved to Dallas, Texas.

Julie met her future husband, Richard Day attending Sioux Falls Washington High School. It took her a while to figure out that his father was a teacher and coach at the same school.

Once while Julie was practicing softball pitching to Dick there was a pitch high and outside. It broke a dining room window. While she busied herself cleaning up the glass Dick measured and replaced the window. They’ve been a good team ever since. At the University of South Dakota, she majored in English and Library Science. She took French in grade school in St. Louis and was able to test out of two years in college French at USD. Julie did her student teaching at Edison Middle School, the same place where her future mother-in-law was teaching.

Dick and Julie married shortly after graduation from the USD.

The first stop after college was the Sioux Falls School District as Assistant Librarian at Whittier Middle School. Dick was doing student teaching at Lincoln High School and during that time learned of his acceptance to medical school.

Julie obtained a teaching position at Westfield, IA during his first two years of medical school. She taught multiple levels of English classes 7-12 and did the school play and yearbook. She also coached six girl Junior High basketball and track.

The highlight of those years was taking both the Junior High and High School girls to watch the girls state basketball tournament.

Dick transferred to Sioux Falls for the last two years of medical school and three years of Family Medicine Residency. Julie then gained an opportunity to teach at Canton, SD. Rachael, their first child, was born during this time. Kyle, the second child was born early in Dick’s start of being a practicing physician. Julie then took a short sabbatical and then resumed substitute teaching. After two years of substitute teaching, she started teaching at Axtell Park Middle School. She was part time in name only, she devoted countless hours mentoring children and covering colleagues. After her transfer to Roosevelt High School, she was honored with the Friend to Axtell Park Award. Her children, now young adults, Julie, began teaching online classes full time at RHS. She also worked on Masters of Reading at that time at Sioux Falls University. Rachael completed the same program and they graduated together. She retired from the Sioux Falls School system in 2016.

Despite the cancer diagnosis Julie loved to travel. Shortly after the initial treatment for the cancer Rachael and Julie took a trip to Pigeon Forge and the Appalachian Mountains. Julie and Dick went with her cousins on a Rhine River cruise the following fall. The last adventure was Maui and Kauai. Lucas, the grandson, was included on trips to the Black Hills, SD, then New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Gettysburg, PA with periodic trips to Waco to see Great Grandma and Great Grandpa. This last summer Harry Potter and Universal Studios completed our touring.

Those preceding in death; Father, Robert L. Davis, Bradley R. Davis, Mother-in-law, Sally Day and Father-in-law, Richard L. Day.

The survivors include; Husband, Richard P. Day of Sioux Falls, Daughter, Rachael Day of Sioux Falls, Son, Kyle Day and Grandson Lucas Day of Des Moines, IA, Mother, Helen Davis and sister Carol Keil (Ken) of Waco, TX. Sister-in-law, Susan Davis of Shreveport, LA, Brother-in-law, John Day (Chere) of Bartlett, TN, Sister-in-law, Diane Verrett (Mike) of Lillington, NC and Brother-in-law, James Day (Denise) of Sioux Falls and numerous nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to either Feeding South Dakota or Habitat for Humanity.

To watch the service virtually please use the link listed below:

Heritage Funeral Home is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Julie Day
Time: Jan 16, 2026 04:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86077073071?pwd=fNGIjK6ZVNRU1nCWEj4NUo1Z4ueHtk.1

Meeting ID: 860 7707 3071
Passcode: 730265