Julia Nell (Wheeler) Coor

Julia Nell (Wheeler) Coor passed away on December 4, 2023 in Lawrenceville, GA at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Harry Eugene Coor, her parents Marvin and Ben Wheeler, and her brothers Don and Charles Wheeler. She is survived by her children Charles Coor (Amy) and Jocelyn Finnegan (Brian); her grandchildren Hilary Coor (Chris Hettenkofer), Chelsea Dowty (David), Elliott Coor (Alexandra), and Clayton Finnegan; and her great-grandchildren Claire Hettenkofer, Miles Hettenkofer, Oliver Coor, Solan Dowty, Sophie Coor, Joss Dowty, and Graham Coor.

Born on February 24, 1935 Julia grew up in Madill, Oklahoma. She attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University, earning a degree in Biology and Math at a time when it was challenging to be a woman in a scientific field. She began her professional career doing scientific research. She was working at the Noble Foundation in Ardmore, OK doing cancer research when she met her future husband Harry. Later she transferred her desire to help others into a long career in Social Work, eventually retiring from the State of Connecticut Block Grant Program.

Julia was an avid reader who passed her love of literature on to many of her family members. She was an active and vivacious woman who enjoyed tennis and bicycling. She loved traveling, particularly to England, the scene of many of her favorite books and historical interests. She was a prolific quilter, making many beautiful and creative quilts to mark special moments in the lives of those she loved.

Julia had a deep love for her family. She and her husband, Harry, met at a church function in 1957 and after their first date, Julia came home and told her roommate “That’s the man I’m going to marry.” She shared an adventuresome life with her husband. They were married for 49 years until his death in 2008, and she remained devoted to him for the rest of her life. She was a loving mother to her children and an active and engaged grandmother. Her great-grandchildren were a source of delight to her later in life, always able to bring a smile to her face.

Julia made friends wherever she went and she went many places in her life. Julia will be remembered by all of her family as a lover of stories. Not just of books, but also the stories of her life and the lives of her loved ones. For much of her life, she was the keeper of the family history. Although she tried writing down family stories, what she loved best was to share them in chats with family and friends. Everyone in the family has their favorite “Grandma story”, some of which we can recite verbatim after many repetitions. As we say goodbye to Julia Coor, we will miss her smile, her energy, her kindness, and her creativity, but what we will not miss is her stories, because we will be her storytellers now. We will remember our favorite stories fondly, we will reminisce about them together, and we will share them with her great-grandchildren.

If you would like to honor Julia’s memory please consider a donation to one of the following:

Zelda Coor Scholarship Fund c/o Louisburg College, Louisburg, NC

American Cancer Society