Julia M. DeMartini
August 30, 1931 – June 30, 2026

On June 30, 2026, Julia joined her husband, John, who had passed on March 6, 2026. Julia and John were not to remain separated long after seventy and one-half years of marriage.

Julia was the eldest child born to Erwin F. Papke and Anna M. (Duchmann) Papke in Eureka.

Julia attended Nazareth Convent School and graduated from Eureka High School in 1949.

After high school, Julia sometimes helped her cousin Anita (Atwell) Brazil and her cousin’s husband Harold Brazil at their ranch near Tompkins Hill. Julia would recount working in the milking barn helping milk cows and then going to the house to help Anita with household duties. Julia was proud to be the only “female” allowed to have a beer with the men because she worked alongside them in the barn.

Julia also enjoyed dressing up and going to the local dance halls with her sisters. At one dance, she introduced her sister, Barbara, to Jerry Spellenberg. Julia said he was “too good looking” for her and thought he would be perfect for Barbara. She was correct: Barbara and Jerry married and spent many years together until Barbara’s passing.

One evening while attending Humboldt State College (Cal Poly Humboldt), Julia’s brother Bill (Buddy) Papke brought John home for one of their mothers’ home cooked meals with the intention of introducing John to their youngest sister, Norma. After meeting John and being very impressed by his appetite, Julia claimed John for herself and won his heart.

Prior to her marriage to John, Julia worked for Daly Brothers department store as a window dresser. She recalled the time that her boss, Harman, told her if there was an earthquake to quickly get away from the windows. Sure enough, there was an earthquake and Julia remembered quickly getting away from the windows as they broke and watching the hanging lights in the store sway back and forth, missing each other. John was in Arcata at the time and couldn’t get ahold of Julia. The concern they shared that day seemed to be a wakeup call that prompted their engagement soon after.

Julia placed faith and family foremost in her life. Julia and John were married on August 28, 1955. On their ninth wedding anniversary they welcomed their seventh and last child. The family moved to McKinleyville in 1966.

Julia was a stay-at-home mom while John taught at Humboldt State University (Cal Poly Humboldt). She had to contend with seven, sometimes unruly, children while John was working out of town for extra income. (Where she got her patience is still a mystery.) Her days were full of the duties that go along with raising a large family.

Both children and grandchildren remember helping her harvest, can, and freeze the bounties from the garden, picking wild berries for pies, cobblers, and jam, and freezing fish for future meals.

Julia’s hobbies included reading and agate hunting, which she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

Julia’s faith was an unbreakable thread throughout her life. She and John were the 1969 Charter members of Christ the King Roman Catholic Church in McKinleyville.

She taught CCD classes for the children and participated in Parish events and fundraisers. As a Eucharist Minister, she took communion to those that were unable to attend Mass.

Her heart was in the parish’s St. Vincent de Paul chapter. She served as president for many years, retiring in her 80s. The downstairs room of her house was a pantry filled with items to make food boxes for those in need. Every week she and a daughter or two, and usually with a grandchild, would go shopping to keep the pantry full. Many of her grandchildren grew up helping fill food boxes and delivering them. Thanksgiving was her favorite time to make special food boxes so that families could enjoy a complete Thanksgiving meal. She and her main “St. Vinnie” ladies, Jo Barber and Maxine Bolt, helped many local families in need over the years.

Julia faithfully attended holy mass every Sunday, even on vacation. While at Frye’s Care Home, her daughter Angela took her to 4 o’clock mass at St. Joseph’s in Eureka on Saturdays. Julia was very appreciative of Angela taking her to mass.

After her children became adults, Julia and John enjoyed travelling. Her favorite trip was visiting Costa Rica and getting to feed and pet her favorite animal, a sloth. Julia would join John on his scuba diving work trips. She would keep track of the divers on the boats and was known to fix some delicious meals.

In John’s retirement, Julia joined John in collecting gall wasps when John began his study of California gall wasps. Together in their 80s, they would head off to the local mountains and travel on questionable dirt roads to collect galls. They had a couple of “adventures” including breaking down with no cell service, only to be helped by someone who happened, by chance, to drive by. Their guardian angels definitely accompanied them on those outings.

Julia graciously hosted John’s fellow researchers from Scotland twice. In honor of her contributions to their studies, as was done for John, in 2018 a new species of gall wasps, Dryocosmus juliae, was named in Julia’s honor.

Julia was preceded in death by her husband, John, her parents Erwin F. and Anna M. Papke, brother William “Buddy” Papke, sister Barbara Spellenberg, father- and mother-in-law, John A. and Violet DeMartini, brothers-in-law Gerald “Jerry” Spellenberg, Bill Dye, David DeMartini, and Dale Wheeler.

Julia is survived by her children, Michele DeMartini, Paul (Ann) DeMartini, Jean (Gary) McIntire, Angela DeMartini (Al Steer), Jack (Lisa) DeMartini, Catherine (Mike) Galloway, and Eric DeMartini.

Grandchildren: Danielle DeMartini (Nathan Wells), Erika (Brett) DeCarlo, Matthew DeMartini, Alfonso Arechiga, Shane McIntire, Lindsey (Nate) Robertson, Kenny (Ria) Winkler, Brendan Grace (Samantha Sachs), Brittan (Megan) Grace, John (Melissa) Rose-DeMartini, Brian DeMartini, Amanda (Dean) Wilson, and Jesse (Janine) Galloway.

Seventeen great-grandchildren (plus one on the way) and numerous nieces and nephews.

Her sister Norma Dye, brother-in-law Charles DeMartini, sisters-in-law Bev DeMartini, Linda DeMartini, and Violet Wheeler.

Thank you to Joanne Skaggs for being a faithful friend to Julia. Thank you to Charleen Hoopes for bringing Holy Communion to Julia and John.

Thank you to Hospice House for their wonderful care during Julia’s final days. Thank you to Frye’s Care Home for their loving care of both John and Julia, and especially to Rosie, Telma, and Kenzie for the love and compassion shown to Julia after John’s passing.

A funeral mass for Julia and John will be held on the day between their wedding anniversary and Julia’s birthday:

Saturday, August 29 at 12:30 p.m., Christ the King Catholic Church,  1951 McKinleyville Ave, McKinleyville.

A gathering at the parish hall with refreshments will be held afterwards.

Donations in Julia and John’s memory may be made to St. Vincent de Paul or Hospice of Humboldt.