Marquette––Julia Koch Tibbitts, 90, former South Lake Street resident, entered eternal life Wednesday morning, March 12, 2008, at the Tendercare Health Center in Munising.
Julia was born October 1, 1917, in Marquette, a daughter of Otto and Onota (Schaffer) Koch, and was a lifelong resident. She was married to Munro Longyear Tibbitts for 33 years when he preceded her in death in 1973. Throughout the years, she resided in Nogales, Arizona, Chicago, Illinois, and Deerton, spending summers at the family camp on Deer Lake in Alger County. Julia loved the natural beauty of Marquette’s Presque Isle Park and wrote and published a book in 1992, “Let’s Go Around the Island”, out of her passion for the park. Her book documents the first major environmental law suit in the State of Michigan. She also performed volunteer work at the Alternative High School for several years. Julia was a lifelong member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist.
Survivors include two sons, Richard (Nixzi) Tibbitts of Camarillo, CA; and Fred (Patti) Tibbitts of Red River, NM; her grandchildren, Richard, Melissa, Justin, and Kirsten; step-grandchildren, Niki Koepp-Scott and Ben Koepp; four great-grandchildren; her sister, Mary Ferguson Paull, and several nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents and husband, Munro, Julia was preceded in death by a brother, Charles Koch.
Julia’s cremains will be laid to rest at the family camp on Deer Lake in Alger County during a private memorial service at a later date.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to the staff at Harbour View, Munising, Brookridge Heights, Marquette, and Tendercare Health Center in Munising for their compassion and care.