Julia Simila

Julia Simila, 88, a resident of Calumet passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 8, 2017 at the Lighthouse of Hubbell.

I was born on February 12, 1929, to Blaz Pintar and Paulina Safar Pintar with the help of a midwife in the family home in Ahmeek, MI. My father immigrated from Yugoslavia to the United States in the early part of the 20th century to make a better home for his family. His brother had come first and was a successful tailor in Ahmeek. Blaz followed soon thereafter and because he was a trained craftsman, quickly became a much sought after shoe maker, setting up shop (“Blaz Pintar’s Shoe Hospital”) in the house I grew up in and making shoes and boots for everyone from the local school teachers to the hard working copper miners.

My eight siblings included Danica and Slavica, who both died as children in Croatia. John, Angelo, and Robert were born in Croatia and came to the U.S. when my mother was able to immigrate to the U.S. to join my father. Matthew was born in the U.S., as were twins Natalia (Dolly) and Victoria (Vicky). Dolly is still living in Warren, MI. The rest are all deceased, myself included.

My favorite subjects in school were English and Latin. There was the most wonderful little teacher who was very elderly. Maybe she wasn’t so elderly, but in my mind she was quite matronly. She was the best Latin teacher you could ever imagine, and she had a bust there of Julius Caesar. She just loved Latin and taught it that way. Once we were being pretty stupid and I put lipstick on Julius Caesar. The next day she was so hurt by it, and I think a few knew that I did it, but nobody said, and I never had the courage to tell her that I did it.

I remember while still in high school being on the sidewalk in front of our house and my father had the radio on. President Roosevelt was announcing that they had declared war and that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. That was a stressful time for young people growing up. My brother enlisted and was wounded in combat and a boy from a family up the street was killed.

As for what I did for fun when I was a teenager, I hung out with friends at the village ice rink in winter and sometimes went to the movies in town. It was a “big night” if we could pull some phone pranks. There used to be a restaurant on the corner where they had dances for us sometimes. There was this boy, I don’t know if he had a crush on me or what, but when I went to sit down he pulled the chair out from under me and I fell on the floor. He’s dead now.

I graduated from Calumet High School in 1947. I couldn’t finance an education beyond high school, but I knew I wanted to get a job and be self-sufficient. I worked summers in Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor, so I was on my own then. One thing I used to regret was not continuing to work because I really wanted to have a career of my own, something in business or writing, and I wish I could have gone on to school. Instead, I committed myself to my hometown. I served as a Girl Scout Leader, a Cub Scout Leader, a member of the Ahmeek Civic Group, and participated in charitable groups
including the American Cancer Society, and the Altar Society of Our Lady of Peace Church. I was a very active member and officer of our local Croatian Fraternal Union and was a delegate to the national convention a few times.

I worked for ten years with the Community Action Program, serving the needs of the elderly in Keweenaw County. I helped them with their taxes and made sure they had the things they needed to get through the winters, such as firewood, groceries, shoveling services, meals on wheels, and so on.

I married Arthur (Archie) Elmer Simila in 1949. We bought a little black and white TV after we were married. It was pretty fascinating. The only station we got was channel two from Canada. We would sit there and watch the test pattern. If you were lucky you’d get a picture once in awhile. I miss Archie. He died while mowing the lawn in 2012. We raised three children; Barbara, Donald, and Michael.
Barbara has two grown children, Ian and Victoria, and lives in Copper City with her husband, Peter Oikarianen. Ian married Stephanie Costanguay, and they live in New Hampshire with their two small boys, Nicolas and Dylan. Victoria lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband Jonathan Boggs.

Donald and his wife Kathryn have two grown children, Karra and Travis. Karra lives in Mississippi with her husband Andrew Godwin and their four children, Ariel, Seth, Eli, and Andrea. Travis and his wife Jody (Torvinen) live in South Carolina with their four young daughters, Hanna, Halle, Courtney, and Carmen.

Michael was a high school guidance counselor in Harbor Springs, MI. He was unmarried and died in 2005.

I had a good life. Some of my best memories are of when family and friends gathered at our cottage in Rabbit Bay. I hope our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren will continue to enjoy the Bay for many years to come.

I lived out the last days of my life at The Lighthouse Nursing Home in Hubbell. I lived a bit too long if you ask me, but nobody asked me, so that’s where I stayed, having daily chats with my kids, Barbara and Donald, and looking forward to the life beyond.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Peace Church in Ahmeek with Father Abraham Mupparathara to officiate. Friends may call at Our Lady of Peace Church in Ahmeek on Saturday, July 8, 2017 from 10:00 am until the time of the funeral mass.

In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, donations may be sent in Julia’s name to Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church/ In care of Keweenaw Catholic Community, 56512 Rockland St. Calumet, MI 49913.

Online condolences for the family may be left at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com

The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.