Obituary

Julia Ann Brandt:  June 13, 1952- October 12, 2021

Julia Ann Brandt entered into heaven on October 12, 2021.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Walter R. (“Ike”) and Mary J. Iglehart, and sister, Mary Kay Iglehart.  She is survived by her sons and their families, Eric Brandt (Jack and London), and Kristopher & Heather Brandt (Madison and Dylan), as well as her lifelong friends, Rebecca Newberry and Julie Barry, and loving dog Izzy.

Julia was born in Tucson, Arizona and traveled the world early in life, living on US Air Force bases as the daughter of a Chief Master Sargent.  When the family returned to Tucson, she attended Salpointe Catholic High School where she graduated in 1970.  She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Arizona in 1974.  After practicing nursing several years, she attained her Masters of Nursing degree in 1980.

Her nursing career was focused on cardiology and cardiac research.  As an ICU nurse, she was one of the first nurses to be trained in advanced technology and used her knowledge and passion to educate physicians, nurses, and patients.  She took this experience to the VA Medical Center in Tucson where she was the Cardiology Research Coordinator, working closely with the physician staff to help patients going through heart failure and other cardiac problems.  She was responsible for attaining multiple grants and funding for the continued success of the program for many years.  Due to health issues in the past 10 years, she worked part-time as a cardiac study nurse at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, and then as a home infusion nurse.  She developed Chronic Immune Deficiency Syndrome and dealt with her numerous treatments bravely and with grace.

Through the years, her career in nursing was a calling and a responsibility she took to heart, using her knowledge to help family and friends with their health care issues.  She frequently attended appointments with them, advocating for their health issues.  She was the kind of nurse who would stop at an accident and take charge, assuring the patient had the best care possible until she could hand off care to another professional.  Many people were fortunate to have her care and attention during their health challenges, and each of them are forever grateful to her.

Although she was a highly esteemed advanced practice nurse, her true love was her family and raising her sons Eric and Kristopher was the greatest accomplishment of her life.  She extended that love, care, time, and attention to her grandchildren and being their ‘G-Ma’ was her greatest joy in the last 11 years of her life.  She did every kind of art and craft imaginable with the children, volunteered at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School, and attended athletic practices and games with loud support and love for them.

She loved to travel and spent much time in Omaha, Nebraska with her ‘second family’ – Becky, Maggie, and Gabrielle – who loved spending time with her.  Other travels took her to Hawaii and the California coast with her dear friend Julie.

Julia was a lifelong lover of nature, the arts, education, adventure, animals of all shapes and sizes, the Arizona Wildcats, her ‘boys’ Eric and Kris, and ‘grandbabies’ Maddie, Dylan, Jack and London.  Always a bright and shining star in our world, her presence will be dearly missed by all those blessed to have had her in their lives.

Funeral Services will be held 1pm, November 1 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church Avondale, Arizona. Burial will be at Our Lady of the Desert in Tuscon, Arizona.