Julie Ann Hawbaker Goodwill was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa, to Sandra and Gary Hawbaker on Aug. 3, 1957. She passed away peacefully on Feb. 29, 2020, with her very loving family at her side. She was 62 years old.
Julie graduated high school from Charles City, Iowa, in 1975, and then from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa in 1979, with a degree in sociology. She continued her education at Boise State University and earned her degree in business. Julie’s career always involved helping people. Following her college graduation she worked with children at the St. Joseph Indian School in Chamberlain, S.D., and then at the St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Mont. Julie later returned to Iowa and provided kind support to adult handicapped citizens in Mason City, Iowa.
In 1988, Julie battled a very debilitating spinal cord tumor and later relocated to Boise, Id., to be closer to her parents and further from the snowy sidewalks of Iowa.
On June 18, 2007, Julie married Don Goodwill and moved to Mountain Home and shared a very happy and loving life with Don and Elizabeth, their daughter, and their rescued fur puppies, Foxy and Bernie.
Julie was an extremely kind person and held many interests. She especially enjoyed trout fishing in Iowa, rock hounding in Idaho, mushroom hunting, visiting with family, playing games including Scrabble, Cribbage, and 500 and enjoying her nieces and nephews. Julie was especially proud of her ceramic creations which she entered in county and state fairs, often garnering first place recognition.
Julie is survived by her husband, Don Goodwill of Mountain Home, Idaho, her step-daughter Elizabeth, Tremonton, Utah, parents Sandra and Gary Hawbaker from Boise, Idaho; sisters and their families including Shelly (Brian) Ovre from Hugo, Minn., Nancy (Hawbaker) Harms ‘78 from Sun Prairie, Wis., Sara Hawbaker Wiemerslage ‘81 from Shueyville, Iowa, Stephanie Hawbaker and Suzanne Hawbaker, both from Boise, Idaho. She is further survived by her many nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. Julie was preceded in death by her grandparents Frank and Beulah Wagner and Floyd and Alene Hawbaker, as well as good friend and brother-in-law Bob Wiemerslage ‘79. Julie has also been reunited with her rescue puppy Angel.
Throughout Julie’s life she held a very strong spiritual faith which became even stronger over the last year. In her final days, Julie was preparing for a “great celebration,” and according to Julie, she was not alone at the end. She had a great many visitors who preceded her in her journey. She was clearly at peace and worked to reassure her family by repeatedly saying, “Be patient, you will see.” In her final waking moments Julie sent a collage of photos to all of her friends and with it she included the following phrase: “I don’t know how my story will end, but nowhere in my text will it ever read…’I gave up.’”
A memorial service to celebrate Julie’s life was held at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Boise, Idaho, on March 5, 2020. Memorials may be directed to Don Goodwill, c/o Gary and Sandra Hawbaker.