Julia Woodland

Julia Faye ‘Julie' Woodland, 71, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on Friday, September 16, 2011. Julia was born June 16, 1940 in Idaho Falls to Robert James McSpadden and Dorothy Lucille Speas McSpadden. She grew up on farms in the Shelly/Firth area where she spent her summers working in the potato and sugar beet fields.

She graduated from Firth High School and LDS Seminary in May 1958, a month and a half after she met her future husband; James ‘Jim' Woodland. In school she participated in choir, FHA, pep club, flag carrier, school paper staff, speech, plays and declamation. She graduated from Ex-Cel-Cis Beauty School in Idaho Falls in 1959, passed her state board exam and received her cosmetology license. She worked at her profession until her first child was born in September 1962, but held her license until 2007.

She was a full time mother, homemaker, and grandmother. While her children were growing up, she kept them busy helping with yard work and digging the dirt out of the crawl space under the family room with shovel and bucket, so her husband could pour concrete to make a monster storage room. Jim was going for a back hoe to dig along the foundation so an outside entrance could be put into the basement. She told him to never mind that, she would have it dug out before he could get back; and she and the children did. As part of teaching the children to work she operated a very small cleaning service, Kitty's Service, where they could work with her and earn spending money. Many people have stated that she was the hardest working person they ever knew.

Julia had a passionate artistic flare and was able to express it in the study and cultivation of flowers, trees and shrubs of all kinds. In the spring; summer and fall she was never in the house during day light hours, but out in the yard working and playing in her flowers.

Both Julia and Jim were raised on farms and they loved country life; cultivating 45 fruit trees, vegetables, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, mulberries and a huge variety of other trees and flowers.

The end of March 1958 found Julia and five of her high school girl friends on the campus of Idaho State College for campus day. At 1:30 p.m. their car was taken over by Jim and two of his college buddies, insisting that the girls be given a personal tour of the campus. Jim claims that the second he saw Julia he loved her. After three hours of walking, talking and dancing plans were made for further dates after Julia broke up with her steady boy friend that night at the Junior Prom in Firth.

They dated and were engaged just prior to Jim leaving on January 4, 1959 for a two year LDS Mission to Australia. Julia focused her life on completing her formal education and serving a LDS Stake Mission. Upon Jim's return in the middle of February 1961, they resumed dating and could be found at the Saturday night church dances, swing dancing with their friends. On August 4, 1961 they were married for time and eternity in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple.

Julia has served in many callings in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including counselor, teacher and advisor in the Relief Society, Young Women's and Primary, additionally serving as a stake and ward missionary. At the time of her passing she was teaching wonderful native children, whom she dearly loved, in the Fort Hall Branch.

She has given her full support to her husband as he served as Bishop of the 44th Ward and now as Branch President of the Fort Hall Branch. Her love for the people she and her husband have served has been invaluable.

In January 2007 Julia and Jim realized the fulfillment of a goal they had set on their first date in April 1959. They entered the Missionary Training Center in Provo on their way to the Perth Australia Mission. After returning in 2008 they left for the Albuquerque, New Mexico Mission; serving in the Navajo Nation at Ship Rock, NM and returned home in 2009. In April 2010 she and Jim were called to serve in the Fort Hall Branch. She loved her new set of scriptures bought in December of 2006. They are now nearly worn out from the Book of Genesis to the Pearl of Great Price; including The Bible Dictionary. She has now been called to serve a mission, for her Savior, in the World of Spirits.

She is preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by; her husband, James ‘Jim' Woodland, Pocatello; her 8 children, including 5 daughters and 2 sons who served full time LDS Missions; Jaryce (Pastor Brad) Applebury, Boseman, MT, Janyce (Rod) Eggleston, Pocatello, Jim M. (Heather) Woodland, Pocatello, Jarell (Dewey) Angell, Nobblesville, Indiana, Jason (Lisa) Woodland, Pocatello, Julie (Dan) Yates, Cleveland, Ohio, Janae (Todd) Van Orden, Pingree, Idaho, Janna (Cliff) Herron, Pocatello; 28 grandchildren; two brothers, Neil (Jo) McSpadden, Henderson, NV, Bobby (Pam) McSpadden Stanfield, Oregon; two sisters, Betty (John) Larsen, Rigby, Idaho, Anna Mae Hernandez, Rexburg, ID; and many nieces and nephews.

Service information will appear under the "Service Schedule" tab above.

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