Julia Johnson Rudolph

Julia Johnson Rudolph
On Thursday, September 17th, 2025, Julia Johnson Rudolph passed away at the age of 80. Julia
was born on March 31st, 1945, in Paducah, KY. She graduated from Tilghman High and then
attended St. Mary's School of Nursing in Evansville, Indiana, from which she graduated in 1966.
After graduating from nursing school, she lived and worked in Memphis, Franklin, Fairview,
Newbern, and Dyersburg, TN.

Julia was a woman of diverse interests. An excellent cook of Southern cuisine, she made her
"Chicken-and-Dumplings" with love. She also enjoyed painting and crafts. Whether homemade
Easter baskets or painted jeans, she always had a project to work on. She loved nature and
animals. Even when she lived in Memphis, she made sure to take her children to a dairy farm
for fresh milk. She often surprised the kids with bunnies, ducks, or baby chicks on Easter. She
also rode horses and adored her cats and dogs. Julia was a talented singer and musician and
wanted those around her to join in. She would even use bags of candy to bribe her children to
learn to sing in three-part harmony on road trips. She served God by singing in the church choir
for decades. Upon retirement from nursing and being a full-time mom, she taught voice, violin,
and piano to children in Dyersburg, TN, and even wrote a Christian children's musical for her
students to perform in local churches.

Julia was preceded in death by her father, William Carey Johnson; her mother, Johnnie Lou
Johnson; and her brother, James William Johnson (Jim). She is survived by her husband, John
Gordon Rudolph; her son, Carey James Balboa; her daughter, Loribeth Jinkins Dunn, son-in-law,
Christopher Ray Dunn and grandson, Christian Elizjah Dunn; her son Matthew Parker Rudolph,
his wife, Erin Rudolph, and grandchildren Lorelei Rudolph and James Patrick Premo; her sisterin-
law, Gail Johnson, her nieces and nephews: Shane Johnson, Garrett Loftin, Katie Loftin
Stewart, Laura Loftin Forrester, Emily Loftin Thomison, Laura French Barton, Justin French,
Allison Murphy, Olivia Orendorff, and Miranda Kennedy.

Visitation will be Saturday, September 27th at 2:00 p.m. at Newbern Methodist Church,
Newbern, TN followed by 3:00 p.m. procession to Fairview Cemetery in Dyersburg, TN for
interment.
To share condolences online:
Johnsonwilliamsfuneralhome.com

Send condolences to:
Matthew Rudolph
521 Golden Lake Loop
St. Augustine, FL 32084