Julia Margaret Reifel

Julia Barry Reifel, at 89 years of age, passed away of natural causes in Port Orchard, WA on March 1, 2015. She was born in Lakeview, OR on Sept. 30, 1925. Julia grew up on a ranch in Lakeview and attended college at Oregon State College (now Oregon State University) in Corvallis, OR where she met and married “Charlie” Reifel. She was married to Charlie for 58 years before his passing in 2003.
Julia was a loving mother and always loved being around children. She poured her life into her seven children, Mike, Chuck, Pete, Nick, Barry, John, and Mary. From day care to teen club, she was always ready and willing to be involved in activities that would provide healthy activities for her children to participate in. She was a den mother for the boys scouts for over 20 years, along with coaching kids teams, leading teen club, volunteering in the school kitchen, corralling pets, taxi driving to an infinite number of events, and refereeing countless squabbles and wrestling matches. There was always food on the table, clothes in the dresser, and presents under the tree, no matter how many people were staying in the house.
Julia was mother to many more than her own children, sometimes offering her home to relatives and friends in need of food and shelter till the storm blew over.
She loved to do crafts, sew, and write, and was a master at keeping a multitude of kids busy with a multitude of activities in a multitude of areas at the same time. Dogs, cats, snakes, turtles, rats, gerbils, frogs, tadpoles, hamsters, parakeets, raccoons, ants, bees, baby chicks, and more were only part of her repertoire when it came to teaching kids to care for animals. She had an uncanny ability to tell it like it is, sometimes with a sarcastic tone, with a smile on her face and without offending others. She loved to tell stories, real and fictional, and was well known for her ability to fill in the gaps when information was missing or skewed. Her ability to be genuine and sincere was always front and center with everyone she met.
Julia is survived by her seven children, Michael and Julie Reifel of Silverton, OR, Harry Charles Reifel of Everett, WA, Peter and Linda Reifel of Klamath Falls, OR, Nick and Debbie Reifel of Black Diamond, WA, Barry and Ellen Reifel of Yakima, WA, John and Ronda Reifel of Federal Way, WA, and Mary Reifel of Belfair WA, along with 13 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Charlton Edward Reifel. Family and friends are welcome to attend Catholic funeral services which will be held on Monday, March 9th, at 11:00 am at Holyrood Cemetery, 205 NE 205th St, Shoreline, WA. With a reception following. Flowers for the funeral may be sent to Rill Chapel, 1151 Mitchell Avenue, Port Orchard, WA 98366.