Julia Hanson Barter

In the care of Fort Logan National Cemetery

Surrounded by her family, Julia Barter, 97, passed away after a brief illness on the afternoon of Sunday, February 4th.  Born in Old Mines, Missouri in 1926 to Patrick and Nelia Hanson, Julia was graduated with honors from high school at a time when college was out of reach for many women.  Julia moved to Granite City, Illinois at the invitation of an aunt and spent her early career working in administration at Scott Field for the Air Force. There she met her husband-to-be, a young captain and former B-24 navigator, John "Jack" Barter. They married in 1949 and, after Jack served two tours in Korea, they were posted to Offutt AFB in Nebraska, MacDill and Patrick AFB in Florida, and Vandenberg AFB in California.  Along the way, they managed to have four beautiful children, Bruce, John, Barbara and Suzanne. When Jack retired from the Air Force in 1964 for a job at Martin-Marietta, Julia and the family landed in Littleton, Colorado, which would become Julia's beloved home for the rest of her life.

An independent and adventurous soul, Julia enjoyed traveling, whether it be Europe, Canada, or Rocky Mountain National Park; but she most cherished the days spent at home in Cherry Knolls where she could be found tending her garden of copper roses, Song of Norway Irises, Lilies of the Valley, wildflowers woven between juniper bushes and sumac trees, and the ever-abundant perennial crop of "Super Fantastic" tomatoes. She loved nature and always had a snack ready for the wildlife, birds, squirrels, raccoons, and feral cats that frequented her back porch.  Several of whom never left.

Julia worked thirty-five years through three mergers in the children's department at May D&F, Foleys and, ultimately, Macy’s Department Store before retiring in 2008. She relished her time in retail; she always had a big smile for customers; and she especially enjoyed when a customer would tell her they knew Julia from shopping there with their parents.   She made friends with everyone she met and had a contagious generosity of spirit.  Julia loved to cook.   She made her famous "transparent" apple pies every year and loved giving them to friends, family, neighbors, clerks at the local grocery store, the postman and really anyone who ever complimented her cooking.

Following her retirement from retail, Julia moved to the Windcrest Retirement Community in Highlands Ranch, where she spent her final years making friends and enjoying the company of many who knew her from Martin-Marietta and her career at Southglenn Mall.

Julia is preceded in death by her husband Jack, oldest son Bruce, brothers Paul and Leonard Hanson of Missouri, and her dear cat Shugie, who kept her cheerful and merry company for the past sixteen years.  She is survived by brothers James and Benedict Hanson, her children John, Barbara and Suzanne, grandchildren Michael, Erin and Travis, and great grandchildren Hazel, Jack, Madeline, Henry and Walter.