Julia Duenas Roth

Julia Duenas Roth was born on July 24th,1944 during the Japanese occupation of the island of Guam during WW11. Guam Is located in the Mariana's chain of islands and a territory of the United States. It is 3,300 miles west of Hawaii, and between the Philippines and the Marshall Islands, and is the largest of the islands in Micronesia. The Japanese captured the island on December 10, 1941 just three days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Due to the brutal treatment by the Japanese of the native Chamorro people,

Julia and her family were herded into caves while the Americans were liberating the island commencing on July 21, 1944. It was in a cave three days into the battle that Julia was born on the cold hard rock floor of a cave located on her family's land in the southern part of the island in a village known as Inarajan.

When she was growing up, Julia's favorite toys were paper dolls, and her favorite days were when the Salvation Army came around handing out Care Packages to the villagers. She said each time they came around it felt like Christmas. She never forgot that and consequently was unable to pass a Salvation Army Kettle without putting some money in the kettle. Julia was one of twelve children and continued to grow up on her native island until she was twelve when her Father moved them all to San Diego, California. There she finished high school and went on to become a beautician. While working as a beautician at Glamourtress downtown San Diego she met Cathy DiNapoli and they became good friends and roommates. Her future husband, Ty Roth, was Cathy's cousin and a Vietnam Veteran attending San Diego State College. Once while Ty was studying for finals Cathy called him to put down the books and come over and have dinner with her and her two roommates. Ty was 23 and single and couldn't afford to pass up a free meal and meet some girls at the same time. After dinner Cathy walked Ty out to his car and asked him if he would like to date one of her girlfriends. He said he liked the little one with the dark hair and dark complexion. Cathy set up the date and it was love at first sight. Six months later Julia and Ty got married and went on to have three children and ten grandchildren.

Julia loved to travel and with the various management jobs Ty had over the years they were able to visit places like England, Italy, France, Belgium, Hawaii, the Bahamas, Jamaica, and much more, and eventually back to the island of Guam. It was 1998 and the trip was the highlight of their lives. They got some of Julia's relatives and hacked their way through the jungle up to the entrance of the old cave. Once inside her uncle Chu showed her the exact spot on the cave floor where she was born 54 years earlier. While in the cave one of her cousins Jeremy found an old Japanese Sake bottle, some bullet casings, a hand grenade handle, and broken pieces of pottery from an old pot made by the Chamorros many years ago.

In 1975 seven years after they got married. Julia and Ty moved to Saugus, California north of Los Angeles to start a new life and future. In 1983 they moved to Overland Park, Kansas once again to start a new life and future. Julia loved working out every day and instructing others on how to get and stay in shape. She started her own antique business. She loved working with flowers and gardening, but most of all she loved her family including three children Dawn, Celia, and Jason. She also loved her 10 grandchildren.

Julia died on Tuesday March 14th at 1:30pm after a 44 day battle to stay alive. She died peacefully in her sleep while I held her hand and read to her from the Bible. The last thing she said to me was "I love you so much. You were a good husband, father, grandfather, and my best friend." I told her that I loved her more than my own life and wouldn't exchange our life together for anything. Finally in her sleep she whispered the Lord's Prayer word for word and then took her last breath while I held her hand.

This is one of Julia's favorite quotes and one that I read to her just before she passed away: "When tomorrow starts without me please try to understand that an Angel came and called my name and took me by the hand. The Angel said my place was ready in Heaven far above and that I'd have to leave behind all those I dearly love. But when I walked through heaven's gates I felt so much at home, for God looked down and smiled at me and told me "Welcome home." So when tomorrow starts without me don't think we are far apart for every time you think of me I'm right there in your heart. Julia was my soul mate and love of my life. I was so fortunate to share her with God for the last 54 years. RIP my darling wife.

A Visitation for Julia will be held Friday, March 24, 2023 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64131. A Celebration of Life will occur Saturday, March 25, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, at the Funeral Home. A committal service will follow in Mount Moriah Cemetery South.