Julie Ann Walters

Julie Ann Kenney Walters of Irvine, California, passed away on February 6, 2025, at the age of 43, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. Julie was born on March 20, 1981, in Orange, CA, to Donald Allen and Lynette Berry Kenney—a baby girl being a welcome addition in the Kenney family where daughters were few and far between.

Though born in California, Julie grew up in Mesa, Arizona just a short walk away from Emerson Elementary, Carson Junior High, and Westwood High Schools. These schools would be her havens of learning and friendships. Julie was a hard worker and natural entrepreneur, organizing and running camps for kids just younger than she was, starting in elementary school. As she got older, she continued to deliver with her strong work ethic, as she spent her summers working at the family-owned Golfland/Sunsplash and Big Surf. Being related to the owners was never an excuse for coasting to Julie; it meant she expected even more from herself than from others.

In junior high and high school, she participated in drama, choirs, bands, orchestras, and school spirit activities, including helping to build the homecoming floats in her driveway. Her warmth, kindness, and great sense of humor earned her friends all along the way.

During her junior year of high school in 1998, Julie met her soon-to-be sweetheart, Greg Walters—a red-headed sophomore—on a bus ride heading to the All-State Music Festival; they had both qualified in vocal performance. It was pretty much love at first conversation, and they started a dialogue of inside jokes, tv/movie quotes–M*A*S*H and “While You Were Sleeping” topped the list, spontaneous singing, and laughter that lasted for 27 years and will continue in the eternities.

Julie's passion for music and academic excellence earned her a place at Arizona State University, where she majored in music education with a focus on piano. After performing her senior recital and graduating summa cum laude, she became a beloved music teacher at Amelia Earhart Elementary in Provo, Utah. Known for her creativity, skill, and heartfelt connection with students, Julie inspired hundreds of children to develop a lasting love for music—both through her teaching and her dedicated volunteer work.

But her greatest joy was always Greg, who proposed on Christmas Eve, 2003. They married on April 24, 2004—six years to the day after they first met. Their joyful union brought four cherished children: Brooklyn (18), William (15), Aubrey (11), and Lilly (8). With their growing family, Julie shifted her passion for teaching toward raising their children, fully immersing herself in their world. Whether it was school, sports, music, theater, or community activities, she poured her heart into every endeavor, becoming a beloved advocate and supporter.

Julie's dedication extended to her church service, where she found joy working with children and sharing her love of music. At the time of her cancer diagnosis, she was serving as Stake Primary President of the Irvine California Stake, grateful for the chance to serve alongside remarkable leaders and the beloved children of the Irvine Stake.

Julie was a gifted musician and passionate teacher whose love for music touched every part of her life. She played clarinet and piano, had a stunning singing voice, and performed with ensembles like the Phoenix Youth Symphony and various school choirs. She began teaching piano in high school and played for ballet classes at Jeanne's School of Dance.

Choral music was one of Julie's greatest joys—she sang in and directed choirs throughout her life. With three, dear, high school friends, she formed a singing group, The Nazardz, composing many of their arrangements. She also served as a composing consultant and muse for her sister-in-law, Lianne.

Even after stepping away from full-time teaching to welcome her daughter, Brooklyn, Julie continued to share her musical talents—offering private piano lessons, founding and running a summer music camp, and leading singing time at church. She volunteered in her children's classrooms and ensured music was always a part of their lives, teaching them to sing and play instruments.

Julie and Greg shared a deep love for musical theater. They adored traveling to New York City—where they had lived for a summer early in their marriage—to enjoy as many Broadway shows as time allowed, attending over 20 productions together. At home, their love for music and theater sparked countless spontaneous duets and singalongs, which grew into full-blown family musicals once the kids were old enough to join the cast.

Greg's eventual job offer in Southern California became one of life's happiest and most fortuitous twists, leading them to Castaic and then Irvine, where they spent most of their married lives. The move nurtured three of Julie's greatest loves: the beach, gardening, and Disneyland.

Julie reserved a weekly beach day for years to soak up the sun, sand, and surf with the kids—her ultimate happy place. Her vegetable garden brought her joy, too—when bugs and vermin weren't waging war on her crops. Many family members joined the good natured #gardenwars she helped start by sending photos of prized home-grown produce to each other in hopes of having the best-looking tomato or largest crop of beans. And with the “Happiest place on Earth” a mere 20 minutes away, Julie's annual Disneyland pass got plenty of use. Her passion for all things Disney was magnetic—so much so that a day at the park with her made every penny of admission worthwhile. In fact, her love of all things Disney made anyone who experienced it question whether they had ever truly loved anything. Friends and family alike treasured their Disney days with her. Julie's enthusiasm and joy in every detail was contagious. She also knew every secret and trick to making it the perfect experience.

It is not surprising, then, that her love for animals, especially giraffes, blossomed during a magical stay at Disney World's Animal Kingdom Lodge, where she watched them stroll past her balcony. Julie claimed them as her own, becoming a member of their tower, and often remarked that she needed to visit her giraffes. Later, during her courageous battle with cancer, she added to her tower as she claimed more giraffes on a stay at Longneck Manor—one of her most cherished trips—getting up close with the tall animals that had captured her heart.

Julie faced immense physical challenges in her final five years—breaking her back while hiking, undergoing two major brain surgeries and radiation for a benign tumor, and ultimately battling colon cancer. Though each setback was discouraging, she didn’t give in to self-pity. Instead, she met every trial with resilience, bravery, and her signature snarky humor.

After completing radiation, she took the claustrophobia-inducing head restraint to a shooting range and gleefully blasted it to smithereens. At the end of chemo treatments, she was often hilariously covered in stickers—prizes from Greg, and other chemo companions, for enduring each grueling step. Even in her final days, she kept everyone laughing, insisting that her beloved giraffe blanket always be turned so the giraffes’ unblinking eyes weren’t unnervingly staring at her. And she was certain that a few sips of her much-loved Dr. Pepper might be what would pull her body out of its tailspin.

Above all else, Julie was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend, and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There was no one more faithful in all these roles than she was. While she had many tremendous achievements in her life, those who knew her best would agree that the greatest one was simply who she was. It was Julie's clever wit and humor, dependability, intelligence, enthusiasm for things she loved, fiercely competitive spirit, listening ear, eye rolls, and easy laugh that we will miss unbearably.

Julie is survived by her husband: Gregory Walters; her children: Brooklyn, William, Aubrey, and Lilly; her parents: Don and Lynette Kenney; her brothers: Todd (Merrilee) Kenney, Allen (Brooke) Kenney, and Brandon (Alma) Kenney; as well as many adoring in-laws, aunts, uncles, 22 nieces and nephews, and friends she loved as family.

A celebration of Julie's life will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 23 Lake Rd., Irvine, CA, at 11 am on Saturday, February 22, 2025. In lieu of flowers, the family requests consideration of donating to either Longneck Manor (https://longneckmanor.com/ways-to-help/) or the Pacific Symphony (https://donate2.app/pacific-symphony/i-support-music) in her memory.