Julie Ann Strayer Brown

1950 - 2020

Julie Ann Strayer Brown

Monmouth - July 18, 1950 - February 26, 2020

Monmouth - Julie Ann Strayer Brown, 69, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. She was a proud American and patriot, loving wife and beloved mother, daughter, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend. She cared deeply for her two treasured house cats and she took care of many homeless cats in the neighborhood. She spent hours tending her garden and enjoying a beautiful yard.

Julie is preceded in death by her cherished husband, Earnest (Jerry) Brown, her adoptive parents, Manley B. and Georgia Strayer, her sister Sally Eustis, and her brother Scott Lematta.

Julie is survived by her two daughters, Sheri Schlief and Angela Graves, her niece, Stefani Page, seven grandchildren, one great grandchild, her birth mother, Opal Lematta, her sister, Susie Mayson, and many other members of her extended family as well as a neighborhood and community full of friends. Her closely knit "inner circle" of friends were always there for her, and along with her family, loved her deeply.

When Julie met and married Jerry, she blended into a family that gave her two daughters, Sheri and Angela. She stepped into her role as a mother with an open heart, and a deep mutual love and respect grew between Julie and "her girls". That love has continued to blossom and deepen over the years. Sheri, the tomboy, always took great pleasure in teasing Julie. Trying to teach her to throw a softball often devolved into fits of laughter as it was noted that Julie "throws like a girl"! Julie also had a fear of spiders that Sheri always made sure Julie was subtly, and sometimes not so subtly, reminded of. It was a game to make sure that nearly every gift contained a reference to a spider and Sheri even went so far as to ensure that when her children visited for overnight stays, their pajamas were spider print. Angela, the sentimental one, loved to help Julie when she needed it, especially over the last few years. The time they spent together texting silly GIFs to each other, downloading apps and streamlining technology to make things easier for Julie, cooking a favorite dish together, and the long talks late into the night sharing family memories and stories will always be treasured. Julie had a unique ability to bring calm when the storm clouds were gathering and was always supportive of Angie and her family. Despite the long distance between all of our homes, we always remained close and were always just a phone call away.

Julie was adopted at birth. Several years ago, Julie found and reunited with her birth mother, Opal Lematta, and her siblings, Susie Mayson and Scott Lematta. Julie loved connecting with her family and enjoyed getting to know them. She was thankful for how her life intersected with them and how their stories intertwined. Her adoption experience gave her the unique opportunity to expand the meaning of family. She felt everyone in her life was a blessing, and this gave her great joy. She often marveled at the similarities that we share, despite differences in our backgrounds and circumstances. She was very thankful for the experiences and opportunities that life presented her. Her love of her family and friends is evident by the hundreds of photos and mementoes she kept throughout her home.

Julie attended Willamette University from 1968 through 1970 and the University of Oregon from 1970 through 1974. Julie graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Nursing. She worked at Portland area hospitals from 1974 through 1985, serving in the Emergency Room and Operating Room. She then worked for the American Red Cross from 1985 through 1988. She joined the Oregon National Guard in 1974 to utilize her Nursing degree in service to our country. It was in the National Guard that she met and married the love of her life, Jerry. She retired from the Army Reserve in 2010 as a Lieutenant Colonel. Julie enjoyed regaling family and friends with stories and experiences that spanned her career.

Family and friends can all tell stories of Julie that reveal her zest for life, her desire to help others, her love of gardening, her hobbies of quilting, sewing and reading, and of her treasured cats, Chomper and Babygirl. She made many wonderful memories with her family and friends over the years. Stories with her grandchildren include rides in the Gator and treehouse shenanigans. Julie would often get into just as much mischief as her grandkids. Julie and Jerry loved planning travel, especially to sunny Cancun, Mexico. Many wonderful memories were created when time was spent there on holiday with family and friends. For approximately fifteen years, her friends in Mexico always looked forward to the vacations that Julie and Jerry planned and spent with them. Once a trip had been completed and they returned home to Monmouth, it seemed they had already begun to plan their next adventure!

A celebration of life will be held at a later date and posted on the Dallas Mortuary Tribute Center website when it has been confirmed. www.dallastribute.com

To honor Julie, the family would appreciate that donations be made in her name to the USO at www.uso.org/donate. Or, you may choose to honor Julie by making a donation in her name to your local Humane Society, Animal Shelter, or Cat Adoption Center to help the cats and kittens that she loved so dearly.