Julia Henning Carlander, 94, of Plano, Texas, formerly of Ames, Iowa, passed away on February 15, 2014 at Sunrise Retirement Community in Plano, Texas. A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 17, at 11:00 a.m. at the United Church of Christ Congregational (217 Sixth Street, Ames, Iowa). A luncheon will be provided immediately after the service in the church fellowship hall.

Julia was born on August 18, 1919 near Spencer, Iowa, to Andrew and Lydia (Fuessle) Henning. She and her three younger sisters, Bertha, Juanita and Joanne were raised in various small towns during the Great Depression in Iowa where her father was a pastor in the Evangelical United Brethren Church. After graduating from Westmar College in 1940 and then teaching high school music and English in public schools in Iowa, Julia moved to Des Moines during the Second World War where she worked as a secretary. It was in Des Moines after the war, that she met William Edward Nichols, a returning veteran, who she married on June 25, 1949. They later moved to Ames. In Ames in 1955 her daughter Mary Ellen and then in 1956 her son William Edward were born. In March of 1956 her husband, William, died suddenly of a stroke. For the next eighteen years she devoted herself to raising her two children teaching them by example to be good and virtuous individuals as well as leading them on family camping trips to Minnesota, the Black Hills and to Colorado, helping them with Camp Fire Girls, Rainbow and the Cub and Boy Scout activities.

Julia returned to work as a secretary at first in the Food Technology department and then in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University. In 1975 she married Dr. Kenneth Carlander, a professor of Fisheries Biology at ISU, whom she had known through the Ames UCC church. Julia and Ken traveled around the world spending time in Asia, Europe and Latin America. In 1978 they spent a year in Salatiga, Indonesia where Ken was teaching at Satya Wacana Christian University in the Fisheries program. While in Salatiga, Julia taught English and thoroughly immersed herself into the local culture. Julia and Ken spent many happy years living at Green Hills Retirement Community in Ames where they were founding residents.

Julia enjoyed life. She loved her family, God, her many friends, music, and traveling. Julia was a
active member of the United Church of Christ Congregational Church in Ames singing in the choir, playing piano for the youth choir, and serving on numerous committees. She also enjoyed participating in Chapter BI of TTT, Fortnightly Book Club, Sans Souci, Eastern Star, AIOFA, Town and Gown, Sigma Tau Delta, Order of the Knoll, Iowa State University Women's Club, Ames Women's Club, Des Moines Metro Opera Guild, and Elder hostels all over the world.

Julia is preceded in death by her parents, her first husband William Edward Nichols, her second husband Kenneth Dixon Carlander, and her sister Bertha Giere. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ellen and Steve Luce of Plano, Texas, her son William Edward Nichols of Austin, Texas, her sisters Juanita Baker of Urbandale, Iowa and Joanne MacLean of Chesterfield, New Hampshire, two grandsons Stephen and William Luce of Plano, Texas and a great-grandson Aden Luce.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Green Hills Retirement Community Memorial Fund, United Church of Christ Congregation of Ames, and Youth & Shelter Services of Ames.

Online condolences may be directed to www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com