Julia Browder

Julia Ann Earnheart Browder, 87, was born August 20th, 1926 in Friendship, TN, daughter of Fannie Ellen Deshazo and Henry Thomas Earnheart. She was one of 10 children - 7 girls and 3 boys. At age 17, she moved to Memphis with 3 of her sisters, where they worked the night shift, supporting the war effort by building and assembling parts for B-24 Liberator Bombers like a real-life “Rosie the Riveter.” In October of 1949 she married Robert Ewing Browder, & would have been married 65 years this year. She studied hematology & was a lab technician, first working at John Gaston Hospital, then later at the Gailor Clinic, participating in pioneering research for sickle cell disease. After having 4 children, she went back to work in 1965 at The Medical Group in Memphis, where she was a lab technician and phlebotomist, & where she once drew blood from Elvis Presley. She fought and survived breast cancer in her 60's, which exemplifies how strong she was in both mind and body. She was a member of Ellendale Baptist Church in Bartlett. Mrs. Browder was remarkably kind-hearted and selfless, always seeing the best in people. She was preceded in death by siblings Max Earnheart, Calvin Earnheart, Leroy Earnheart, Dell Cunningham, Evelynn Moore, Shirley Batte, & Emily Greene. She is survived by 1 sister, Martha Walker of Montevello, AL, her husband Robert Browder of Bartlett TN, and her 4 children, Pamela Edmonson of Palm Desert, CA, Robert Browder Jr. of Kathleen, GA, Karen Woods of Bartlett, TN, and Lance Browder of Bartlett, TN. She has 4 grandchildren, Justin Woods, Nathan Browder, Julia Woods, & Audrey Browder. Visitation will be held Thursday evening February 27, 2014 from 5-7pm and a Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, February 28, 2014 at 2pm all at Memphis Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Rd. Bartlett. Interment will follow in Memorial Gardens, onsite. Online condolences may be made at www.memphisfuneralhome.net.