Julia Nordstrom

After a blessed life, Julia Vakos Nordstrom, 89, passed away on August 10 in Williamsburg, VA.

Born in Lake Toxaway, NC, to William J. Vakos and Mary Ellamae Hall Vakos, Julia was one of 11 children and referred to herself as “the middle button.” She grew up in Virginia Beach swimming in the ocean, hunting for coins under the boardwalk after hurricanes and running her family’s pharmacy where, in her downtime, she enjoyed ice cream floats and comic books. In high school, she was crowned homecoming queen and the 1953 Beach Bowl Queen.

In 1958, Julia graduated from the College of William & Mary with a double major in Business and Education, later earning her Library Science Certification from ODU which she used to help modernize the Northampton County Public School library system. At W&M, she met her husband of 67 years, Marine 1st Lt. Clyde V. Nordstrom, Jr., an Eastern Shore of Virginia native.

While raising five children on the Eastern Shore, Clyde and Julia built and ran The Nordstrom Oil Co and a property rental company. Constantly in motion and needing little sleep, Julia also taught at her children’s school, was a Sunday School teacher at Franktown United Methodist Church, and ran a small bookstore called The Book and Hobby Shop where she often bartered art supplies for paintings from a budding local artist, Willie Crockett. Julia was also a self-taught computer coding programmer, creating a billing system for the oil company, at a time when none were available. She could do anything she set her mind to do.

In addition to writing plays and a pictorial history book called “The Eastern Shore of Virginia in Days Past”, Julie also preserved old buildings, renovating the 1910 Turner House, the 1776 Melville Colonial Kitchen, both in Belle Haven, as well as the 1890 Victorian Armistead House in Williamsburg. Her love of books, education, business and real estate were just a few gifts Julia passed down to her children.

Upon retiring, the couple became snowbirds alternating between Anna Maria Island, FL, and the Eastern Shore for 11 years before finally settling in Williamsburg where they first met.

Julia was preceded in death by her son, Clyde “Chip” William Nordstrom and her sisters Jeanne Vakos, Estelle Davis, Grace Dragas, Patricia Vakos and her brother George Vakos.

Julia is survived by her husband Clyde Vernon of Williamsburg; her sons, Dennis (Katrina) Nordstrom of Hawaii and Michael (Mary) Nordstrom of Indiana; her daughters, Wendy (George) Kokolis of Florida and Judy (Charles) Bono of Williamsburg. She also leaves behind grandchildren: Chelsea (Marty) Tozzi-Condivi of Australia, Logan (Kelly) Nordstrom of Charlottesville, Rhys Nordstrom of Staunton, Halle Nordstrom of England, Julie Kokolis of Florida, Demetrios (Michelle) Kokolis of Florida, Marinos Kokolis of Williamsburg, Kaliope Kokolis of Greece/NYC, Gabriel Bono of Florida, Hannah Bono of Kansas, Brett Bono of Williamsburg, Christian Nordstrom of Indiana and Alexandra Nordstrom of Indiana; as well as three great grand-children, Miles Nordstrom of Charlottesville, Enzo and Ella Tozzi-Condivi, both of Australia. Julia will be dearly missed.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, August 26th at Franktown United Methodist Church in Franktown,VA, followed by a brief graveside service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: The College of William and Mary Alumni Association, P.O. Box 1693, Williamsburg, VA 23187 and Broadwater Academy, P.O. Box 546, Exmore, Va 23350 or online at: broadwateracademy.org.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www. Doughtyfuneralhome.com.

Arrangements made by Doughty Funeral Home in Exmore, Virginia.