Obituaries

January 2, 1949 to March 29, 2025

WINAMAC - Julia Ann Decker, 76, of Star City, passed away Saturday, March 29, at Northwest Health Porter Hospital in Valparaiso. She was surrounded by her sister, brother-in law and close friends after an unexpected battle with pneumonia and lingering health issues.

She was born Jan. 2, 1949, in Ft. Wayne, to the late Wayne and Marjorie Boze Decker. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1967, in Willis, MI. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she went to nursing school at Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing and graduated as a registered nurse in 1972.

Julia Decker

She is survived by:
Christine and William (Decker-Zerger) Zelmer, Battle Creek, MI, Sister and brother-in-law
Laurie and William Moore, Niece, of Woodland, AL
Shawn and Margie (Bailey) Zelmer, nephew, of Chesterfield, MI
Other great-nephew and -nieces: Jacob and Marissa Zelmer, Nicolai and Shawnah Grabill, and Kendra and Kyra Zelmer

She was proceeded in death by:
Robert Decker, Brother
Randall Decker, Brother
Great-grandparents and several aunts and uncles.

After nursing school, Ms. Decker moved close to home (in Ann Arbor) to work at the University of Michigan Hospital Respiratory ICU. She later moved to Detroit and worked in the Cass St Corridor working with TB patients. She received the “Spirit of Detroit” Award in August 1976 for her dedicated service to the people she served there. She later packed up and moved across country, pulling a small U-Haul to Pasadena, CA where she worked at LA Vina Hospital in charge of the respiratory unit. While there she found her love of pregnant mothers and babies and stayed in that field of nursing the rest of her career, gaining several awards and recognitions. She worked in OB not only in California but South Carolina and North Carolina, before settling down in Indiana. Her career became full circle when she went home to aid and help her mother who had started having health issues. She worked at Logansport Memorial as head of the OB and childbirth education. She finally retired working in OB at Pulaski Memorial Hospital. During her career she was certified as a doula, lamaz instructor, as well as a certifiied lactation consultant and teacher. She also worked at the public library in Winamac and volunteered for the Warrior Up program.

She especially loved Christmas, Easter and mostly spring and fall. She loved cooking, trying new recipes (as an extensive cookbook collection testifies to), and going out to eat with friends and family. One of her best memories was a cruise for her 50th birthday with sister Chris, as well as going to Italy with her niece and her family. A few years ago she did a memorial park trip out west and saw several national parks with dear friends, Sharon and Deb. Julia loved Jesus and attending church wherever she lived. It was a central and pivotal part of her life, and she acknowledged she was growing more and more in the Lord, the older she got.

A celebration of life will be at 6:30 p.m., Friday, April 25, at the Heartland Church in Winamac. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service.

Memorial donations may be made to the funeral home to assist with final expenses.

Online tributes may be offered at www.frainmortuary.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Frain Mortuary in Winamac.