Julie R Hoerber

Julie Hoerber was born Julia Yolanda Raia on May 16, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois. Her
parents, Italian immigrants, were Frank & Egidia Raia. Julie had 7 sisters and 4 brothers;
she was the youngest of the 12 children. Despite its size, the family was close, happy
and active anchored by their parents. Julie's favorite activities were family picnics,
billiard and card games, riding bikes and jumping rope with her sisters, Lorraine and
Carmella. She enjoyed helping her dad in his backyard garden and taking turns at the
winepress for his homemade wine. Julie's two lifelong passions can be attributed to her
mom, who taught her the love of singing and cooking Italian food. Julie is pre-deceased
by her parents, her eleven siblings and their spouses.
Upon her high school graduation from Steinmetz in 1948, Julie, with much pleading
and convincing of her parents, enrolled at the University of Chicago to be a radiology
technician. After a semester, Julie admitted she was miserable! Her mother asked for
their money back (to no avail), and her dad enrolled her in secretarial school, like her
older sister Rose. She loved it. Upon completion, she was hired by Sears & Roebuck
and worked downtown in the foreign division. These skills would prove to be of utmost
value and use throughout Julie's lifetime.
In 1949, Julie and her sister Carm went to a Halloween dance at Chicago's famous
Aragon Ballroom. There, 19-year-old Julie met the love of her life, John Hoerber, five
years her senior. He was a handsome war hero who swept her off her feet, proposed on
New Years Eve and they were married the following June 1950. From 1951- 1967 seven
children were born to John and Julie. While John loved travel, Julie was always happiest
at home with her family. As the family grew, so did memories of holiday traditions,
family vacations, and life together in Libertyville, Ill. In due time, their children's own
weddings followed and later came the grandchildren.
Julie pursued her love of singing in the chorus of the Lake County chapter of Sweet
Adelines. She also sang Lead in The Sunnyside's Barbershop quartet. This hobby
provided Julie with friendship and excitement in show performances and competitions
while making a lasting impact on two of her daughters who also sang in Sweet
Adelines chapters.
Only 2 of the 7 children were living at home when the family moved to Florida. In
addition to being "Mom", Julie returned to her original career in 1976 in Miami. While
John started his own insurance agency, he was also extremely active in his WW2
veteran's group, the 94th Division, as well as working with a travel agency. Julie worked
as his executive secretary in all three of her husband's endeavors. She continued to be
active herself as a leader in the Ladies Auxiliary of the 94th Division.
Over the next 15+ years, Julie worked fulltime at Barry University (at both
the Miami Shores, and later the St. Lucie, campuses). She loved her work with the
Miami students at the college library and served in the President's office of the St. Lucie
campus. By then she and John were living in Ft. Pierce, FL and both soon retired. Julie's
position at Barry had enabled three of her children to attain college degrees at the
University tuition free.
John and Julie's love story spanned more than five and a half decades (celebrating 57
years) until John's death in August 2007. They would be apart for almost the next 18
years. Julie spent those final years in Lithia, FL. On May 5, 2025, after enduring 4-weeks
of the ravages of a stroke, Julie peacefully passed away and was reunited with her
beloved John and her Raia family in heaven.
Julie is survived by her seven children and their spouses: John and Jean Hoerber, Bob
and Kathe (Hoerber) Mensik, Kurt and Cheri (Hoerber) Isgreen, Mark and Beth Hoerber,
Tony and Patty (Hoerber) Zumpano, Jorge and Mary (Hoerber) Milian, and Peter and
Shannon Hoerber, her fifteen grandchildren and 10 respective spouses, her fourteen
great-grandchildren +1 on the way, and three great-great grandchildren, as well as
nephews and nieces.
A Visitation will be held for Julie at Serenity Meadows Funeral Home, 6919 Providence Rd, Riverview, FL 33578 from 6:00 - 8:30 pm, Thursday, May 15, 2025 with light refreshments served. Short Prayer Service starting at 6:30, followed by the sharing of stories and memories by those in attendance.
Funeral Mass will be at 10:30 am, Friday, May 16, 2025 at Resurrection Catholic Church, 6819 Krycul Ave, Riverview, FL 33578.
Private Interment at FL National Cemetery, Bushnell FL next to her beloved husband, John.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital may be made in memory of Julie Hoerber. The gift and dedication may be made on this page by clicking the link: https://www.stjude.org/donate