BARTHELME-Cowman, Julia Ann (Rogers) 1928-2018

ROGERS, FOX, BARTHELME, SAMAHA, RANK, ZECHES, COWMAN

Posted By: Connie Ellis (email)
Date: 5/19/2024 at 21:00:38

SOURCE: IMPERIAL VALLEY PRESS, EL CENTRO, CALIFORNIA newspaper, obituary section
Contributor: Connie Ellis (not related, family friend)

Long-time Holtville, California resident and teacher, Julia Ann (Rogers) Barthelme Cowman, age 90, passed away on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at her residence in Mesa, Arizona. A memorial mass service was held at the St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Holtville, California on Saturday, May 19, 2018 with a reception in the church following the service for the family and friends. Interment was held at a later date in the Evergreen Cemetery in El Centro, California where she was interred with her husband Hugo Barthelme who passed away in 1968 after sustaining fatal injuries in a car accident in California. She was also preceded in death by her second husband, William "Bill" Cowman who died in 2010.

Julia Ann Rogers was born in Cresco, Howard County, Iowa on April 4, 1928 to Jeffrey and Irene (Fox) Rogers. She grew up in Monona, Clayton County, Iowa and graduated from the Monona High School in 1945. She graduated from Iowa State University where she obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education - English. She taught school in Ossian, and New Albin, Iowa for ten years before she and Hugo moved their family to Holtville, California where she accepted a teaching position that she held until retiring in 1988.

Julia dedicated her life to teaching and raising a family that for many years she had to manage alone due to the sudden death of her husband Hugo who died at an early age. She was an exceptional junior high English teacher for almost 40 years and was committed to providing a memorable learning experience to any student who passed through her classroom.

After retiring to Palm Springs, California, Julia donated much of her time to help teach English to immigrants wanting to learn the language. Julia was an avid reader and baseball fan, especially enjoying her trips with family to spring training games while living her final years in Mesa, Arizona. Always known for her independent spirit and demanding teaching approach, Julia impacted the lives of so many people over the years with her intelligence, kindness, and dry sense of humor. She will be dearly missed and long remembered by her large extended family, friends, and many former students not only in California but in Iowa. She was very much devoted to her Catholic faith and her commitment to helping others.

Julia is survived by her loving family; Stephen Barthelme and his wife Peggy Samaha-Barthelme, Scott Barthelme and his wife Susan, Patricia "Pat" Rank, and Jeff Barthelme along with 11 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, and her sister Margaret Zeches. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Patricia Blenner.

NOTE FROM THE TRANSCRIBER: Hugo Barthelme, husband of Julia, was born and raised in Ossian, Iowa. Julia and Hugo lived in Ossian in the early years of their marriage. Besides teaching many students at the Ossian School, they had many friends and relatives in the Ossian and Monona, Iowa areas.

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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