Julia Wheelock Ames

Frank and Julia flew to the moon and played among the stars. Julia Wheelock Ames, 99, of Roanoke, Va., died on Thursday, May 23, 2019, surrounded by Frank Sinatra songs.

She was the oldest of six children and the last survivor born to George F. and Annie Franklin Wheelock of Birmingham, Ala. Julia and her mother were one of the first double surgeries in Alabama. Julia was a C-Section and her mother had surgery for a ruptured appendix. Born on January 6, 1920, and weighing 4 pounds and 10 ounces, there were no incubators at that time, and both had a 50/50 chance of survival.

Julia and her sister, Gertrude, attended Misses Howard’s School for Girls in Birmingham. The school was owned and operated by sisters, Miss Pearl and Miss Bonnie in a rented house on 12th Avenue South. Julia and Gertrude were taught by the sisters. They often misbehaved prompting a call home to the girl’s mother. Julia always had a strong will.

Her first job was working in a jewelry store in Birmingham. Julia had grown tall to 5 feet - 10.5 inches. In 1947, she married in her family home and relocated to Roanoke.

She remained close and supportive of her Birmingham family and enjoyed her frequent trips back home to Birmingham. Her Roanoke home was an open house for her out-of-town family. Over the years, she took in family members to live with her.

After taking a wallpapering course at the YWCA, she wallpapered many walls in her home and then for her family and friends. Julia and her friend, Betty Lynch, would browse antique stores for bargain furniture and on Saturdays, you would find her at yard sales.

For Lent, Julia and her children would often give up ice cream. After Lent, she would treat everyone to a butterscotch ice cream sundae at High’s Ice Cream Store located on the lower level of the Towers Shopping Center.

Reading was mostly cookbooks as she tried baking different casseroles and became known as the “Casserole Queen” of her family. She would take food to the sick and homebound and visit nursing home residents. Dinner was at 6 p.m. in the dinette; except on Sundays, when she cooked a large meal for lunch served in the dining room. For several years, to call her children to dinner, she would stand on the front porch and ring a large hand bell; otherwise, her rule was to be home by dark.

Raising three daughters was trying at times, teaching them proper etiquette including dress, table manners, and writing thank you notes. She planned and was hands-on with their weddings and embraced her sons-in-law.

She worked as a saleswoman at Lazarus (A woman’s clothing store at Towers Shopping Center) for 18 years and built a large clientele. Julia was known for giving her honest opinion of all clothing her customers were interested in buying. Her saying was, “My name is Julia Ames, and I aim to please.”

Later in life, she worked as a sitter, chauffeur and errand runner. Around 2007, she heard of a downtown location that helps at-risk youth, Straight Street. She toured Straight Street, had lunch there and discussed her plans with Keith Farmer, Director, to come back to speak to the youth, teach and pray with them. She also heard of a new newspaper, The Roanoke Star. She called Stuart Revercomb, Publisher, to discuss suggestions for articles. She called so much, that after a while, they were on a first-name basis. She even insisted on sending them a check for a one-year subscription to the newspaper.

In 2009, Julia stroked from a fall, dementia set in, but she remained feisty until the end.

She was predeceased by  daughter, Anne, and great-grandchild, Logan.

Julia is survived by daughters, Grace and Betty “Pumpkin;” grandchildren, Chip, Doug, Degra and Patrick; great-grandchildren, Quinn, Carolina, Joshua, Brooklyn, and Gabriella. Also surviving are numerous nieces, nephews, and several cousins.

Julia also became the last survivor of her friends. Evelyn would visit Julia, attend her birthday parties, send her cards throughout the year, and often send her a plant for her birthday. Evelyn Walke died in 2018.

She was active in her church and a charter member of St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church and Church of the Holy Spirit.

Special thanks to the 6 East Director, Stacey Saum, and her staff that provided Julia compassionate care during her stay.

A Memorial Service will be conducted at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 31, 2019, at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, 2339 Grandin Road, SW, Roanoke with the Rev. Karin MacPhail officiating.

Memorials may be made to St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 4706, Roanoke, VA 24015 or to Straight Street, 333 Luck Ave., SW, Roanoke, VA 24016. Online condolences may be expressed at www.oakeys.com.