Julia Blanchard

Julia Graham Blanchard of Lake Norman passed away peacefully Monday, Nov. 14, 2011, in Chapel Hill after living gracefully with vascular dementia for several years. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. at Bethel Presbyterian Church 19920 Bethel Church Road, Cornelius, N.C.. The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. Julia was born April 17, 1928, in Jackson Springs Moore County, N.C., to Minnie Autry and W. Edgar Graham Sr. She graduated from West End High School in 1945 and attended Montreat College and Flora McDonald College in Red Springs, where she earned a bachelor's degree in Bible and English in 1949. She began her teaching career at Tabor City High School, before returning to Vanderbilt University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from which she received a master's degree in library science. During her illustrious career as an educator, she served as the librarian at Aberdeen High School, Chapel Hill High School, and Spaugh Junior High School and Highland Elementary School in Charlotte. She taught library science at both Appalachian State University and Winthrop University, and retired as the media specialist at Sterling Elementary School in Charlotte. Julia was a member of Bethel Presbyterian Church, Circle #1, Contemporary Book Club, Diggers and Duffers Garden Club of Cowan's Ford, the Shelved Librarians and the honorary teaching society Alpha Delta Kappa. Celebrating her life are her loving husband, John Jake of Lake Norman; daughters, Kathryn Blanchard of Charlotte and Maryjohn Blanchard of Durham; son-in-law, Greg Ross of Charlotte; daughter-in-law, Laura Martin of Durham; grandchildren, Jake and Katie Martin of Durham; brother, W.E. Dub Graham Jr. of Raleigh; sister-in-law Norma Lane Faucette of Burlington; sister-in-law Jean Graham of Raleigh; nieces and nephews, Debra Carter, Carol DiNicola, Fred Faucette, David Faucette, Laurin Graham, John Graham, Todd McIntye, Sally Helweg and Rachel McIntyre; many dear great-nieces and nephews; her very special Graham and Autry cousins; and a host of friends made over a lifetime well-lived. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister-in-law Joan McIntyre, brother-in-law Richard McIntyre and brother-in-law Coy Faucette. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Blanchard-Graham Scholarship at Elon University University Advancement, 2600 Campus Box, Elon, N.C. 27244 or to a charity of one's choice. The family wishes to thank her compassionate caregivers at the Dubose Health Center at the Cedars of Chapel Hill and Duke Hospice.