Julia Ann Stewart

Born in Charlottesville, Virginia on July 14, 1963, Julia graduated from Albemarle High School in 1981 and then attended the University of Virginia, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics in 1985. While at UVA, Julia was an active member of the Delta Gamma sorority.

After graduation from UVA, Julia moved to Northern Virginia, where she began a career that saw her spend decades in public relations and communications, primarily in the fresh produce industry.

Julia first worked for the National Forest Products Association (1986-1987) and the American Forest Council (1987–1990), where she developed a love for communications and began to hone her skills in comms and PR. From 1990–1993, Julia worked for the Corporate Response Group and added crisis communications to her skill set.

In the fall of 1993, Julia began a career in the produce industry, in particular the apple industry, working in public relations for the U.S. Apple Association (10+ years as VP of PR from 1993–2004), the Produce Marketing Association (PR Director, 2008–2011), and the New York Apple Association (Spokesperson, 2013–2017).

Julia founded Clarity Communications in 2004 and provided consulting services in the areas of public relations and communications to the fresh produce industry throughout the rest of her life.

Julia loved her work and the people it brought her in contact with through the decades, many of whom became longtime associates and friends. One such friend/associate was apple grower Dennis Courtier (owner/CEO of Pepin Heights Orchards from 1978–2018), who collaborated with Julia on several projects and, in Dennis’s words, “had a blast working together.”

Dennis and Julia married in 2011. The two of them split their time between New Orleans in the winters and Arena, Wisconsin in the summers, enjoying the food and music in NOLA and the moderate climate, easy-going way of life, and many friendships in southern Wisconsin.

Julia and Dennis enjoyed traveling together, making trips over the years to New Zealand, North Africa, and multiple destinations in Europe.

In her personal life, Julia was adept at creating and maintaining relationships. She kept in contact with a wide network of family members (nuclear and extended) and friends, including her Delta Gamma sisters, and was very often the glue that tied everyone together. Julia always knew everyone in the room, kept up on what was going on with everyone, and made everyone feel at ease with compliments and her genuine interest in their lives.

Julia was tough, independent, and fearless. She is sorely missed. She is survived by her husband, Dennis Courtier; her children, Daniel Legett Daly (28) and Caroline Stewart Daly (25); Dennis’s children, Jessica and Phillip (Naning); grandchildren, Leon and Ione; her brother, Richard Alan Stewart, MD (Virginia); her brother, Charles Wade Stewart, III (Kathleen); her brother, William Neal Stewart (Nan); and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother, Naomi Ruth Gates Stewart and her father, Charles Wade Stewart, Jr.

Please join the family for a celebration of Julia's life at the New Orleans Museum of Art, One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park, in New Orleans, on Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 1:00PM.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, www.bcrf.org, The National Breast Cancer Foundation, www.nationalbreastcancer.org, or Planned Parenthood, www.plannedparenthood.org.

To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com