Julia Long Marshall was born on November 12, 1936 in the British Steel town of Scunthorpe, England, the youngest of two daughters born to Richard Wells Long and Irene Dixon Long. Julia and her older sister Betty grew up in the shadow of the giant Scunthorpe Steel works, where their Father was the Mill Superintendent.
When Julia was three years old, Germany declared war on Great Britain starting World War II. Her Dad was exempt from military service as an essential personnel Steel Mill Superintendent, but he commanded the local militia of the Home Guard.
During the Battle of Britain, the Germans targeted the Scunthorpe Steel works repeatedly. Julia remembered scooting their big oak kitchen table to the corner of the kitchen during air raids with her Mom and Betty, the bombs falling while their Dad was on duty with the Home Guard. Once, a German bomber crashed in the field 100 yards from the house, and her Dad captured the surviving crew and marched them off.
(In the 1970s, somewhere on a family vacation, once we were next to a local Civil Defense Air Raid Siren test. I will never forget that Mom suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and turned ashen faced and had to sit down, later learning she was suffering PTSD from the air raid sirens of WWII.)
Julia always wanted to be a Nurse, and she was a good one. Julia graduated in 1959 as Class Valedictorian from the Royal College of Nurse Midwives at the Hull School of Nursing, which was located across the Humber river from Scunthorpe. As finances were tight in post war Britain, Julia went to school and commuted home across the river via the local ferry boat.
One day in the spring of 1959, the Ferry Boat Captain, who knew the attractive young nursing student from her regular commuting, took the opportunity to introduce Julia to a dashing young American, Dwain Marshall. Dwain was in England as a Contractor (Rocketdyne Aerospace) for the US Air Force at RAF Luffingham, performing classified work installing the Titan I Intra - Continental missile system supporting NATO during the Cold War. He too was a regular commuter across the river on the ferry boat.
A whirlwind romance took off with the handsome American. Julia’s Mum thought Dwain was from Texas, with all the flowers, candy and gifts he was showering on her and her family. Dwain proposed several times, but Julia rebuffed him, citing completion of her intern nursing rotations and licensing exams for Nurse Midwifery. Dwain was persistent, though. They did get engaged, but Julia would not commit to a marriage date, Julia graduated in June 1959 and began to study for the licensing exam in December.
Suddenly Dwain’s contract at RAF Luffingham was being cut short, and now they had to get married before he returned to the United States on December 31. They were married on December 19, 1959, just 18 hours after Julia completed the three-day licensing examination to be a Nurse Midwife.
Julia and Dwain flew to Pasadena, California, where Dwain worked for Rocketdyne. Julia was now a British Cold War Bride in sunny southern California, a whole new experience for the young Nurse, now isolated from her family by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nurse Midwifery, while common in Great Britain, was much less practiced in Post WWII America, with Medical Doctors performing most deliveries. Julia became a Charge Nurse at Woodland Hills Community Hospital in Canoga Park, California. Everyone immediately loved the young English nurse with the accent they could listen to for hours.
Julia’s first son Christopher was born in March 1962, and Julia, in labor, insisted at the hospital that her Doctor, who was not On Call, be called in. The doctor came in but said he would not have done it for anyone else. Julia was special. Julia’s second son David was born a year and eleven days later in March 1963, and this time Julia’s Mum from England flew to California to take care of Chris.
In 1964, Dwain and Julia decided to return home to Kentucky, where he had grown up. Julia became part of the large Marshall clan in Paducah, Kentucky, with Dwain’s 7 brothers and sisters. They bought a new house in Reidland and lived there for the rest of their lives.
After being a stay at home Mom to Chris and David for 4 years, Julia decided to return to Nursing, She worked in Operating Room at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, rising to Head Nurse of the OR Unit in less than 4 years.
In 1972, Julia decided to pursue her American certification as a Nurse Midwife. She had passed and became certified as a Nurse Midwife in England, but was whisked away before she could use it. Julia again graduated near the top of her class and received her Certification form the American College of Nurse Midwives in Columbus Ohio.
Julia Marshall was now both a Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife (RN CNM). Doctor Charles Bohle, a respected Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Paducah, took her into his practice as the first Certified Nurse Midwife in Western Kentucky. Throughout the 1970s, Julia and Dr Bohle were both professional colleagues and good friends, spending many weekends on Kentucky Lake with their families.
Julia and Dwain loved the natural beauty and wonder of Kentucky Lake and in the late 1960s began camping at Will-Vera campground, now Southern Comfort. Many summer weekends were enjoyed on the lake, water skiing, swimming at the Rock Quarry and evenings with the Bohles.
Julia loved America, and in 1978 became a Naturalized U S Citizen. Annual family vacations were focused on traveling the highways and byways of the United States.
One was driving through Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska; 1976, the Bicentennial year, to Washington DC; One through Illinois, Michigan, Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; One to Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Everything notable to see was identified in the AAA Tour books Julia used preparing for the trip and we followed her timetables and itineraries.
When the boys were young, every other year Julia traveled back to England to see her family and spend a month. Some of our fondest memories are of living in Scunthorpe as children, experiencing life in England.
Later in the 1980s and early 1990s, Julia worked as the Nurse Midwife for several OB/GYN medical practices in Paducah after Dr Bohle retired, including Doctors Franks, Hayden, Cheney, Rankin, and Tom Clark .
One of Julia’s most influential jobs as a Nurse Midwife was to offer childbirth classes to young couples in the region. We have experienced many times after introducing ourselves to a Paducah colleague, that they knew Julia because she taught their childbirth class.
In 1992, Julia finally retired to enjoy life with Dwain who had retired in 1989 from Pennwalt in Calvert City, KY. They purchased a Winnebago motor home and together toured the country, many seasons camping for extended stays in Gulf Shores, Alabama; South Padre Island, Texas; Jeckyl Island, Georgia and Florida. They chose to set up their Winnebago locally when they weren’t traveling at Cypress Lakes RV Park in Calvert City, enjoying the swimming pool and company of good friends.
They were also doting Grandparents to three grandchildren: CJ born October 1987, Austin in June 1989 and Amy in September 1990. Julia and Dwain would regularly go to Sharpe Elementary School and participate in the Grandparent’s reading program with Austin and Amy, and traveled to New York to spend time with CJ.
In the 2000s, Julia and Dwain decided that the traveling life was fun but getting to be a bit much, and in 2005 they gave up the RV and got a mobile home that they permanently installed at Cypress Springs RV park. Dwain hardly had time to enjoy it, however. He passed suddenly of a heart attack in March 2006 after over 46 years together.
Julia never got over the loss of Dwain, but she began a new life adjusting to widowhood. She began mowing the 2 acre yard for the first time and listening to country music constantly, because it was Dwain’s favorite. Julia spent much of her summertime at Cypress Lake, enjoying the swimming pool and close comraderie with friends.
Julia continued to dote on her grandchildren, attending CJ’s graduation from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2010 and Austin’s from University of Louisville in 2013. Julia’s inspiration and influence was most evident in Amy’s graduation from the West Kentucky Community and Technical College School of Nursing in 2016, following in her Grandmother’s footsteps as a Registered Nurse.
In March of 2016, Julia was diagnosed with dementia, and was unable to live by herself at home, where she had been for the past 10 years since Dwain’s passing. An Angel came to us in the form of Era Sue Lynn, who became Julia’s live-in companion and caregiver. They lived together in the house and made short trips around town until they got into a car wreck in December 2017, Julia breaking her forearm.
The accident gave Julia the opportunity to regain focus and heal herself. Even with a broken arm, she was now engaging with people like she had not been for the past two years. She fully recovered, plus some, from the accident.
In early 2019, Julia began having difficulty in getting around the house by herself, relying more and more on Era Sue, Chris and David for assistance. In May, Julia experienced a kidney injury that required admission into the Intensive Care Unit, making worse her chronic kidney disease. Julia was put into the Hospice at Home program when she came out of the hospital May 24, and
Julia passed peacefully on June 24, 2019 at home with family by her side. She loved as a Mom and respected by many in the Community as a medical professional. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
When Julia was three years old, Germany declared war on Great Britain starting World War II. Her Dad was exempt from military service as an essential personnel Steel Mill Superintendent, but he commanded the local militia of the Home Guard.
During the Battle of Britain, the Germans targeted the Scunthorpe Steel works repeatedly. Julia remembered scooting their big oak kitchen table to the corner of the kitchen during air raids with her Mom and Betty, the bombs falling while their Dad was on duty with the Home Guard. Once, a German bomber crashed in the field 100 yards from the house, and her Dad captured the surviving crew and marched them off.
(In the 1970s, somewhere on a family vacation, once we were next to a local Civil Defense Air Raid Siren test. I will never forget that Mom suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and turned ashen faced and had to sit down, later learning she was suffering PTSD from the air raid sirens of WWII.)
Julia always wanted to be a Nurse, and she was a good one. Julia graduated in 1959 as Class Valedictorian from the Royal College of Nurse Midwives at the Hull School of Nursing, which was located across the Humber river from Scunthorpe. As finances were tight in post war Britain, Julia went to school and commuted home across the river via the local ferry boat.
One day in the spring of 1959, the Ferry Boat Captain, who knew the attractive young nursing student from her regular commuting, took the opportunity to introduce Julia to a dashing young American, Dwain Marshall. Dwain was in England as a Contractor (Rocketdyne Aerospace) for the US Air Force at RAF Luffingham, performing classified work installing the Titan I Intra - Continental missile system supporting NATO during the Cold War. He too was a regular commuter across the river on the ferry boat.
A whirlwind romance took off with the handsome American. Julia’s Mum thought Dwain was from Texas, with all the flowers, candy and gifts he was showering on her and her family. Dwain proposed several times, but Julia rebuffed him, citing completion of her intern nursing rotations and licensing exams for Nurse Midwifery. Dwain was persistent, though. They did get engaged, but Julia would not commit to a marriage date, Julia graduated in June 1959 and began to study for the licensing exam in December.
Suddenly Dwain’s contract at RAF Luffingham was being cut short, and now they had to get married before he returned to the United States on December 31. They were married on December 19, 1959, just 18 hours after Julia completed the three-day licensing examination to be a Nurse Midwife.
Julia and Dwain flew to Pasadena, California, where Dwain worked for Rocketdyne. Julia was now a British Cold War Bride in sunny southern California, a whole new experience for the young Nurse, now isolated from her family by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nurse Midwifery, while common in Great Britain, was much less practiced in Post WWII America, with Medical Doctors performing most deliveries. Julia became a Charge Nurse at Woodland Hills Community Hospital in Canoga Park, California. Everyone immediately loved the young English nurse with the accent they could listen to for hours.
Julia’s first son Christopher was born in March 1962, and Julia, in labor, insisted at the hospital that her Doctor, who was not On Call, be called in. The doctor came in but said he would not have done it for anyone else. Julia was special. Julia’s second son David was born a year and eleven days later in March 1963, and this time Julia’s Mum from England flew to California to take care of Chris.
In 1964, Dwain and Julia decided to return home to Kentucky, where he had grown up. Julia became part of the large Marshall clan in Paducah, Kentucky, with Dwain’s 7 brothers and sisters. They bought a new house in Reidland and lived there for the rest of their lives.
After being a stay at home Mom to Chris and David for 4 years, Julia decided to return to Nursing, She worked in Operating Room at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, rising to Head Nurse of the OR Unit in less than 4 years.
In 1972, Julia decided to pursue her American certification as a Nurse Midwife. She had passed and became certified as a Nurse Midwife in England, but was whisked away before she could use it. Julia again graduated near the top of her class and received her Certification form the American College of Nurse Midwives in Columbus Ohio.
Julia Marshall was now both a Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife (RN CNM). Doctor Charles Bohle, a respected Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Paducah, took her into his practice as the first Certified Nurse Midwife in Western Kentucky. Throughout the 1970s, Julia and Dr Bohle were both professional colleagues and good friends, spending many weekends on Kentucky Lake with their families.
Julia and Dwain loved the natural beauty and wonder of Kentucky Lake and in the late 1960s began camping at Will-Vera campground, now Southern Comfort. Many summer weekends were enjoyed on the lake, water skiing, swimming at the Rock Quarry and evenings with the Bohles.
Julia loved America, and in 1978 became a Naturalized U S Citizen. Annual family vacations were focused on traveling the highways and byways of the United States.
One was driving through Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska; 1976, the Bicentennial year, to Washington DC; One through Illinois, Michigan, Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; One to Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Everything notable to see was identified in the AAA Tour books Julia used preparing for the trip and we followed her timetables and itineraries.
When the boys were young, every other year Julia traveled back to England to see her family and spend a month. Some of our fondest memories are of living in Scunthorpe as children, experiencing life in England.
Later in the 1980s and early 1990s, Julia worked as the Nurse Midwife for several OB/GYN medical practices in Paducah after Dr Bohle retired, including Doctors Franks, Hayden, Cheney, Rankin, and Tom Clark .
One of Julia’s most influential jobs as a Nurse Midwife was to offer childbirth classes to young couples in the region. We have experienced many times after introducing ourselves to a Paducah colleague, that they knew Julia because she taught their childbirth class.
In 1992, Julia finally retired to enjoy life with Dwain who had retired in 1989 from Pennwalt in Calvert City, KY. They purchased a Winnebago motor home and together toured the country, many seasons camping for extended stays in Gulf Shores, Alabama; South Padre Island, Texas; Jeckyl Island, Georgia and Florida. They chose to set up their Winnebago locally when they weren’t traveling at Cypress Lakes RV Park in Calvert City, enjoying the swimming pool and company of good friends.
They were also doting Grandparents to three grandchildren: CJ born October 1987, Austin in June 1989 and Amy in September 1990. Julia and Dwain would regularly go to Sharpe Elementary School and participate in the Grandparent’s reading program with Austin and Amy, and traveled to New York to spend time with CJ.
In the 2000s, Julia and Dwain decided that the traveling life was fun but getting to be a bit much, and in 2005 they gave up the RV and got a mobile home that they permanently installed at Cypress Springs RV park. Dwain hardly had time to enjoy it, however. He passed suddenly of a heart attack in March 2006 after over 46 years together.
Julia never got over the loss of Dwain, but she began a new life adjusting to widowhood. She began mowing the 2 acre yard for the first time and listening to country music constantly, because it was Dwain’s favorite. Julia spent much of her summertime at Cypress Lake, enjoying the swimming pool and close comraderie with friends.
Julia continued to dote on her grandchildren, attending CJ’s graduation from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2010 and Austin’s from University of Louisville in 2013. Julia’s inspiration and influence was most evident in Amy’s graduation from the West Kentucky Community and Technical College School of Nursing in 2016, following in her Grandmother’s footsteps as a Registered Nurse.
In March of 2016, Julia was diagnosed with dementia, and was unable to live by herself at home, where she had been for the past 10 years since Dwain’s passing. An Angel came to us in the form of Era Sue Lynn, who became Julia’s live-in companion and caregiver. They lived together in the house and made short trips around town until they got into a car wreck in December 2017, Julia breaking her forearm.
The accident gave Julia the opportunity to regain focus and heal herself. Even with a broken arm, she was now engaging with people like she had not been for the past two years. She fully recovered, plus some, from the accident.
In early 2019, Julia began having difficulty in getting around the house by herself, relying more and more on Era Sue, Chris and David for assistance. In May, Julia experienced a kidney injury that required admission into the Intensive Care Unit, making worse her chronic kidney disease. Julia was put into the Hospice at Home program when she came out of the hospital May 24, and
Julia passed peacefully on June 24, 2019 at home with family by her side. She loved as a Mom and respected by many in the Community as a medical professional. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
Julia Long Marshall was born on November 12, 1936 in the British Steel town of Scunthorpe, England, the youngest of two daughters born to Richard Wells Long and Irene Dixon Long. Julia and her older sister Betty grew up in the shadow of the giant Scunthorpe Steel works, where their Father was the Mill Superintendent.
When Julia was three years old, Germany declared war on Great Britain starting World War II. Her Dad was exempt from military service as an essential personnel Steel Mill Superintendent, but he commanded the local militia of the Home Guard.
During the Battle of Britain, the Germans targeted the Scunthorpe Steel works repeatedly. Julia remembered scooting their big oak kitchen table to the corner of the kitchen during air raids with her Mom and Betty, the bombs falling while their Dad was on duty with the Home Guard. Once, a German bomber crashed in the field 100 yards from the house, and her Dad captured the surviving crew and marched them off.
(In the 1970s, somewhere on a family vacation, once we were next to a local Civil Defense Air Raid Siren test. I will never forget that Mom suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and turned ashen faced and had to sit down, later learning she was suffering PTSD from the air raid sirens of WWII.)
Julia always wanted to be a Nurse, and she was a good one. Julia graduated in 1959 as Class Valedictorian from the Royal College of Nurse Midwives at the Hull School of Nursing, which was located across the Humber river from Scunthorpe. As finances were tight in post war Britain, Julia went to school and commuted home across the river via the local ferry boat.
One day in the spring of 1959, the Ferry Boat Captain, who knew the attractive young nursing student from her regular commuting, took the opportunity to introduce Julia to a dashing young American, Dwain Marshall. Dwain was in England as a Contractor (Rocketdyne Aerospace) for the US Air Force at RAF Luffingham, performing classified work installing the Titan I Intra - Continental missile system supporting NATO during the Cold War. He too was a regular commuter across the river on the ferry boat.
A whirlwind romance took off with the handsome American. Julia’s Mum thought Dwain was from Texas, with all the flowers, candy and gifts he was showering on her and her family. Dwain proposed several times, but Julia rebuffed him, citing completion of her intern nursing rotations and licensing exams for Nurse Midwifery. Dwain was persistent, though. They did get engaged, but Julia would not commit to a marriage date, Julia graduated in June 1959 and began to study for the licensing exam in December.
Suddenly Dwain’s contract at RAF Luffingham was being cut short, and now they had to get married before he returned to the United States on December 31. They were married on December 19, 1959, just 18 hours after Julia completed the three-day licensing examination to be a Nurse Midwife.
Julia and Dwain flew to Pasadena, California, where Dwain worked for Rocketdyne. Julia was now a British Cold War Bride in sunny southern California, a whole new experience for the young Nurse, now isolated from her family by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nurse Midwifery, while common in Great Britain, was much less practiced in Post WWII America, with Medical Doctors performing most deliveries. Julia became a Charge Nurse at Woodland Hills Community Hospital in Canoga Park, California. Everyone immediately loved the young English nurse with the accent they could listen to for hours.
Julia’s first son Christopher was born in March 1962, and Julia, in labor, insisted at the hospital that her Doctor, who was not On Call, be called in. The doctor came in but said he would not have done it for anyone else. Julia was special. Julia’s second son David was born a year and eleven days later in March 1963, and this time Julia’s Mum from England flew to California to take care of Chris.
In 1964, Dwain and Julia decided to return home to Kentucky, where he had grown up. Julia became part of the large Marshall clan in Paducah, Kentucky, with Dwain’s 7 brothers and sisters. They bought a new house in Reidland and lived there for the rest of their lives.
After being a stay at home Mom to Chris and David for 4 years, Julia decided to return to Nursing, She worked in Operating Room at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, rising to Head Nurse of the OR Unit in less than 4 years.
In 1972, Julia decided to pursue her American certification as a Nurse Midwife. She had passed and became certified as a Nurse Midwife in England, but was whisked away before she could use it. Julia again graduated near the top of her class and received her Certification form the American College of Nurse Midwives in Columbus Ohio.
Julia Marshall was now both a Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife (RN CNM). Doctor Charles Bohle, a respected Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Paducah, took her into his practice as the first Certified Nurse Midwife in Western Kentucky. Throughout the 1970s, Julia and Dr Bohle were both professional colleagues and good friends, spending many weekends on Kentucky Lake with their families.
Julia and Dwain loved the natural beauty and wonder of Kentucky Lake and in the late 1960s began camping at Will-Vera campground, now Southern Comfort. Many summer weekends were enjoyed on the lake, water skiing, swimming at the Rock Quarry and evenings with the Bohles.
Julia loved America, and in 1978 became a Naturalized U S Citizen. Annual family vacations were focused on traveling the highways and byways of the United States.
One was driving through Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska; 1976, the Bicentennial year, to Washington DC; One through Illinois, Michigan, Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; One to Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Everything notable to see was identified in the AAA Tour books Julia used preparing for the trip and we followed her timetables and itineraries.
When the boys were young, every other year Julia traveled back to England to see her family and spend a month. Some of our fondest memories are of living in Scunthorpe as children, experiencing life in England.
Later in the 1980s and early 1990s, Julia worked as the Nurse Midwife for several OB/GYN medical practices in Paducah after Dr Bohle retired, including Doctors Franks, Hayden, Cheney, Rankin, and Tom Clark .
One of Julia’s most influential jobs as a Nurse Midwife was to offer childbirth classes to young couples in the region. We have experienced many times after introducing ourselves to a Paducah colleague, that they knew Julia because she taught their childbirth class.
In 1992, Julia finally retired to enjoy life with Dwain who had retired in 1989 from Pennwalt in Calvert City, KY. They purchased a Winnebago motor home and together toured the country, many seasons camping for extended stays in Gulf Shores, Alabama; South Padre Island, Texas; Jeckyl Island, Georgia and Florida. They chose to set up their Winnebago locally when they weren’t traveling at Cypress Lakes RV Park in Calvert City, enjoying the swimming pool and company of good friends.
They were also doting Grandparents to three grandchildren: CJ born October 1987, Austin in June 1989 and Amy in September 1990. Julia and Dwain would regularly go to Sharpe Elementary School and participate in the Grandparent’s reading program with Austin and Amy, and traveled to New York to spend time with CJ.
In the 2000s, Julia and Dwain decided that the traveling life was fun but getting to be a bit much, and in 2005 they gave up the RV and got a mobile home that they permanently installed at Cypress Springs RV park. Dwain hardly had time to enjoy it, however. He passed suddenly of a heart attack in March 2006 after over 46 years together.
Julia never got over the loss of Dwain, but she began a new life adjusting to widowhood. She began mowing the 2 acre yard for the first time and listening to country music constantly, because it was Dwain’s favorite. Julia spent much of her summertime at Cypress Lake, enjoying the swimming pool and close comraderie with friends.
Julia continued to dote on her grandchildren, attending CJ’s graduation from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2010 and Austin’s from University of Louisville in 2013. Julia’s inspiration and influence was most evident in Amy’s graduation from the West Kentucky Community and Technical College School of Nursing in 2016, following in her Grandmother’s footsteps as a Registered Nurse.
In March of 2016, Julia was diagnosed with dementia, and was unable to live by herself at home, where she had been for the past 10 years since Dwain’s passing. An Angel came to us in the form of Era Sue Lynn, who became Julia’s live-in companion and caregiver. They lived together in the house and made short trips around town until they got into a car wreck in December 2017, Julia breaking her forearm.
The accident gave Julia the opportunity to regain focus and heal herself. Even with a broken arm, she was now engaging with people like she had not been for the past two years. She fully recovered, plus some, from the accident.
In early 2019, Julia began having difficulty in getting around the house by herself, relying more and more on Era Sue, Chris and David for assistance. In May, Julia experienced a kidney injury that required admission into the Intensive Care Unit, making worse her chronic kidney disease. Julia was put into the Hospice at Home program when she came out of the hospital May 24, and
Julia passed peacefully on June 24, 2019 at home with family by her side. She loved as a Mom and respected by many in the Community as a medical professional. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
When Julia was three years old, Germany declared war on Great Britain starting World War II. Her Dad was exempt from military service as an essential personnel Steel Mill Superintendent, but he commanded the local militia of the Home Guard.
During the Battle of Britain, the Germans targeted the Scunthorpe Steel works repeatedly. Julia remembered scooting their big oak kitchen table to the corner of the kitchen during air raids with her Mom and Betty, the bombs falling while their Dad was on duty with the Home Guard. Once, a German bomber crashed in the field 100 yards from the house, and her Dad captured the surviving crew and marched them off.
(In the 1970s, somewhere on a family vacation, once we were next to a local Civil Defense Air Raid Siren test. I will never forget that Mom suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, and turned ashen faced and had to sit down, later learning she was suffering PTSD from the air raid sirens of WWII.)
Julia always wanted to be a Nurse, and she was a good one. Julia graduated in 1959 as Class Valedictorian from the Royal College of Nurse Midwives at the Hull School of Nursing, which was located across the Humber river from Scunthorpe. As finances were tight in post war Britain, Julia went to school and commuted home across the river via the local ferry boat.
One day in the spring of 1959, the Ferry Boat Captain, who knew the attractive young nursing student from her regular commuting, took the opportunity to introduce Julia to a dashing young American, Dwain Marshall. Dwain was in England as a Contractor (Rocketdyne Aerospace) for the US Air Force at RAF Luffingham, performing classified work installing the Titan I Intra - Continental missile system supporting NATO during the Cold War. He too was a regular commuter across the river on the ferry boat.
A whirlwind romance took off with the handsome American. Julia’s Mum thought Dwain was from Texas, with all the flowers, candy and gifts he was showering on her and her family. Dwain proposed several times, but Julia rebuffed him, citing completion of her intern nursing rotations and licensing exams for Nurse Midwifery. Dwain was persistent, though. They did get engaged, but Julia would not commit to a marriage date, Julia graduated in June 1959 and began to study for the licensing exam in December.
Suddenly Dwain’s contract at RAF Luffingham was being cut short, and now they had to get married before he returned to the United States on December 31. They were married on December 19, 1959, just 18 hours after Julia completed the three-day licensing examination to be a Nurse Midwife.
Julia and Dwain flew to Pasadena, California, where Dwain worked for Rocketdyne. Julia was now a British Cold War Bride in sunny southern California, a whole new experience for the young Nurse, now isolated from her family by thousands of miles and the Atlantic Ocean.
Nurse Midwifery, while common in Great Britain, was much less practiced in Post WWII America, with Medical Doctors performing most deliveries. Julia became a Charge Nurse at Woodland Hills Community Hospital in Canoga Park, California. Everyone immediately loved the young English nurse with the accent they could listen to for hours.
Julia’s first son Christopher was born in March 1962, and Julia, in labor, insisted at the hospital that her Doctor, who was not On Call, be called in. The doctor came in but said he would not have done it for anyone else. Julia was special. Julia’s second son David was born a year and eleven days later in March 1963, and this time Julia’s Mum from England flew to California to take care of Chris.
In 1964, Dwain and Julia decided to return home to Kentucky, where he had grown up. Julia became part of the large Marshall clan in Paducah, Kentucky, with Dwain’s 7 brothers and sisters. They bought a new house in Reidland and lived there for the rest of their lives.
After being a stay at home Mom to Chris and David for 4 years, Julia decided to return to Nursing, She worked in Operating Room at Western Baptist Hospital in Paducah, Kentucky, rising to Head Nurse of the OR Unit in less than 4 years.
In 1972, Julia decided to pursue her American certification as a Nurse Midwife. She had passed and became certified as a Nurse Midwife in England, but was whisked away before she could use it. Julia again graduated near the top of her class and received her Certification form the American College of Nurse Midwives in Columbus Ohio.
Julia Marshall was now both a Registered Nurse and a Certified Nurse Midwife (RN CNM). Doctor Charles Bohle, a respected Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Paducah, took her into his practice as the first Certified Nurse Midwife in Western Kentucky. Throughout the 1970s, Julia and Dr Bohle were both professional colleagues and good friends, spending many weekends on Kentucky Lake with their families.
Julia and Dwain loved the natural beauty and wonder of Kentucky Lake and in the late 1960s began camping at Will-Vera campground, now Southern Comfort. Many summer weekends were enjoyed on the lake, water skiing, swimming at the Rock Quarry and evenings with the Bohles.
Julia loved America, and in 1978 became a Naturalized U S Citizen. Annual family vacations were focused on traveling the highways and byways of the United States.
One was driving through Missouri, Oklahoma, Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and Nebraska; 1976, the Bicentennial year, to Washington DC; One through Illinois, Michigan, Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio; One to Tennessee, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. Everything notable to see was identified in the AAA Tour books Julia used preparing for the trip and we followed her timetables and itineraries.
When the boys were young, every other year Julia traveled back to England to see her family and spend a month. Some of our fondest memories are of living in Scunthorpe as children, experiencing life in England.
Later in the 1980s and early 1990s, Julia worked as the Nurse Midwife for several OB/GYN medical practices in Paducah after Dr Bohle retired, including Doctors Franks, Hayden, Cheney, Rankin, and Tom Clark .
One of Julia’s most influential jobs as a Nurse Midwife was to offer childbirth classes to young couples in the region. We have experienced many times after introducing ourselves to a Paducah colleague, that they knew Julia because she taught their childbirth class.
In 1992, Julia finally retired to enjoy life with Dwain who had retired in 1989 from Pennwalt in Calvert City, KY. They purchased a Winnebago motor home and together toured the country, many seasons camping for extended stays in Gulf Shores, Alabama; South Padre Island, Texas; Jeckyl Island, Georgia and Florida. They chose to set up their Winnebago locally when they weren’t traveling at Cypress Lakes RV Park in Calvert City, enjoying the swimming pool and company of good friends.
They were also doting Grandparents to three grandchildren: CJ born October 1987, Austin in June 1989 and Amy in September 1990. Julia and Dwain would regularly go to Sharpe Elementary School and participate in the Grandparent’s reading program with Austin and Amy, and traveled to New York to spend time with CJ.
In the 2000s, Julia and Dwain decided that the traveling life was fun but getting to be a bit much, and in 2005 they gave up the RV and got a mobile home that they permanently installed at Cypress Springs RV park. Dwain hardly had time to enjoy it, however. He passed suddenly of a heart attack in March 2006 after over 46 years together.
Julia never got over the loss of Dwain, but she began a new life adjusting to widowhood. She began mowing the 2 acre yard for the first time and listening to country music constantly, because it was Dwain’s favorite. Julia spent much of her summertime at Cypress Lake, enjoying the swimming pool and close comraderie with friends.
Julia continued to dote on her grandchildren, attending CJ’s graduation from Kings College in Wilkes-Barre, PA in 2010 and Austin’s from University of Louisville in 2013. Julia’s inspiration and influence was most evident in Amy’s graduation from the West Kentucky Community and Technical College School of Nursing in 2016, following in her Grandmother’s footsteps as a Registered Nurse.
In March of 2016, Julia was diagnosed with dementia, and was unable to live by herself at home, where she had been for the past 10 years since Dwain’s passing. An Angel came to us in the form of Era Sue Lynn, who became Julia’s live-in companion and caregiver. They lived together in the house and made short trips around town until they got into a car wreck in December 2017, Julia breaking her forearm.
The accident gave Julia the opportunity to regain focus and heal herself. Even with a broken arm, she was now engaging with people like she had not been for the past two years. She fully recovered, plus some, from the accident.
In early 2019, Julia began having difficulty in getting around the house by herself, relying more and more on Era Sue, Chris and David for assistance. In May, Julia experienced a kidney injury that required admission into the Intensive Care Unit, making worse her chronic kidney disease. Julia was put into the Hospice at Home program when she came out of the hospital May 24, and
Julia passed peacefully on June 24, 2019 at home with family by her side. She loved as a Mom and respected by many in the Community as a medical professional. She will be greatly missed and never forgotten.
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