- Date Of Birth: January 9, 1937
- Date Of Death: May 17, 2020
- State: Iowa
Julia Anna Ford, 83, formerly of Gilmore City died Sunday, May 17 at the Pearl Valley Rehab and Nursing Home in Sutherland, Iowa. Julia was born January 9, 1937 in Michigan, North Dakota, the daughter of Thomas and Helen Yoney Ford, the 2nd of 12 children. She was raised and received her education in Gilmore City, graduating from the Gilmore City-Bradgate High School. She went to work immediately after high school as a personal secretary for State Farm where she met her husband to be, Earl Helvick. The couple were married in October of 1954, and later divorced. Julia worked as a personal secretary for John Brady of Brady Motor Freight in Des Moines for 20 years. She then began her own business call Alpha Secretarial Services in Huntington Beach, California, which she operated for 30 years before returning to reside in Boone, IA. One of her neighbors in Hunington Beach was John Wayne who “had the privilege” of playing cards with Julia. He called her the “little Iowa girl.” She also had her own embroidery business, one of her many talents. Survivors include her siblings, Mary Himrod of Eagan, Minnesota, Char Beekmann of Pocahontas,IA, John Ford of Humboldt, IA Helen Nelson of Ankeny, IA, Rick Ford of Marshalltown, IA Bob Ford of Gilmore City, IA and Dennis Ford of Gilmore City, IA, many nieces and nephews and several grand nieces and nephews, as well as one great grand niece. She was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Barb Elsner and Jeannie Ford, brothers Jim Ford and Joseph Ford. The family would like to thank the staff at Pearl Valley Care Facility for their loving care during Julia’s final days.
