Obituary
Julia Segel, nee Berner, age 104. Adored wife for 73 years of the late Max, loving mother of Leora (Mort) Rosen, and Adrienne Segel (Miles Ducore), devoted Grandma of Greg Rosen (Jessica Wall), Brad (Olga) Rosen, Sarah (James) Erickson, and Michael Ducore (Leah Doering), doting Great-Grandma Julia to Kyra Rosen, Max Erickson, Millie Erickson, Milo Erickson, Aleena Rosen, Jack Rosen and Arthur Ducore, caring sister of the late Adolph, Oscar, Edmund, and Joe Berner, and beloved aunt of many nieces and nephews. Additionally, grateful thanks to selfless caregivers and adopted family members Minerva and Myrna, as well as others too numerous to mention. Speaking no English as a 5-year-old Hungarian immigrant, Julia went on to become Valedictorian of her high school class, and excelled in both college and graduate school, earning a Master’s Degree in Education when such things were still a rarity for women. She and husband Max wrote their Masters’ thesis together in 1941, a ground-breaking 8th grade curriculum, in which white children were introduced to the accomplishments of a variety of African American icons of the time, in a successful effort to identify and modify latent prejudice and bigotry among members of the class. This early “Black Studies” program represented the beginning of a life of passionate concern for the underdog, a desire for civility and respect among all peoples, and a life-long hope for world peace. Julia remained intellectually curious and stimulating to all of those around her throughout her long and full life as a teacher, mother, grandmother and friend, reading voraciously and engaging in gentle but impassioned debates about critical matters of the day. Most recently, her joy was focused on the antics and accomplishments of her great-grandchildren in whom she took enormous pleasure, and for whose families her life of grace and generosity will stand as an indelible role model of a life well-lived. Private services have been held. Donations in her memory may be made on line or by mail to any of the following: Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, Hadassah Hospitals, or the Southern Poverty Law Center.