Julia Ann Shildmyer

She was born April 15, 1936, in Gideon, Missouri, the beloved only child of Eugene and Julia Spickelmier.

Growing up, Julia showed many talents. She had a natural gift for music and acquiring languages. She had the rare talent of chromesthesia which enables people to see musical notes as colors. She became fluent in German and learned to play five instruments (piano, flute, piccolo, Pedal Harp and Celtic harp) to an advanced level of proficiency. As a young adult she was selected to participate (as a flautist) in the prestigious Aspen Music Festival under the renowned teacher Albert Tipton.

Known for her wit, untiring work ethic and wonderfully quirky sense of humor, Julia was also known for her scholarship and dedicated heart of service. As much as she loved music, she wanted to serve others in need, especially those who suffered with mental illness. In 1975, Julia received her doctorate in Counseling Psychology at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. She then spent 25 years as a family and crisis counselor for Johnson County Mental Health in Olathe. She often helped the police, the prison system and mental institutions, with their most agitated and distressed patients. She also served as an instructor during this time, teaching several workshops on mental health interventions for the renowned Menninger Clinic in Topeka, Kansas.

Julia’s personal life was no less accomplished. She married Jim Shildmyer in December 21, 1957, in St. Louis, Missouri. This December, they would have been married 66 years. She had three daughters who she instilled the love of education, creativity, and the need for strength and independence. With her constant encouragement and support, each daughter received a terminal advance graduate degree, (a Doctor of Medicine, a Ph.D in Education and a Jurist Doctorate, respectively).

Julia also had ten grandchildren who absolutely adored her infectious smile, laughter, hugs, love of music, curiosity about the world, social justice, love and animals, and wonderful cooking. Her legendary mashed potatoes, her ever growing ceramic Christmas villages spreading all over the floor, her constant study of international cultures and customs, her panache sense of fashion, her reading obsession - often with a cat in her lap, and random habit of breaking into Broadway song and dance delighted her large brew of grandchildren.

She was a beloved wife, friend, aunt, mother, mother-in law and grandmother. Julia is survived by her husband, James Shildmyer; three daughters (and sons in laws) Cynthia (Kurt) Firnhaber, Sandra (Hari) Padmanabhan, and Kathleen (Joseph) O’Leary; and ten grandchildren, Rachel (Adam) Brown, Maria Banda, Nyasha (Keegan) Williams, Chenna (Radhika) Padmanabhan, Tendai Firnhaber, Portia Firnhaber, Michael O’Leary, Matthew O’Leary, Koketso Firnhaber, Grace Banda, her niece, Elaine Oursler, her nephew, David Shildmyer and her best friend Madelyn Raska.

She will be forever missed as our guiding star. We love you, Grammy! Rest in the blessed peace you so richly deserved!

Your loving family

A Special Request: The family requests instead of flowers that donations be made to Haven Group for Emotional Support for High School (https://www.gofundme.com/manage/haven-group-for-emotional-support-in-high-school); Blue Spruce Habitat for Humanity (https://bluesprucehabitat.org) or Boulder Mennonite Church ( https://bouldermennonite.org/donate/write in Memo - Family Fund)