Obituary of Julie Alice Rogers

Julie Rogers

Alice Julie Rogers (Julie or Julie Bear to all who knew her) loved each day of her 82 years of life, her chosen families and friends, golf, RVing, fishing, adventures, and all kinds of joyous fun. She absolutely insisted on enjoying life and finding the positive in every problem. She died peacefully with her partner of 36 years, Sonja Nisson, who cared for her through her last illness until Julie took her last breath on May 23, 2023.

Julie was born in Wichita, Kansas on April 11, 1941, and soon moved to Springfield, Missouri. She moved to Southern California at age 8, attended Reseda High School and became the first member of her family to graduate from high school and the first to attend college.

While in Southern California, Julie worked as an electrician at TRW Inc. in the Apollo Space Program. She played lead guitar for “LuvNStuff”, a women’s band that performed for several military units, at the Ice House in Pasadena, the Moulin Rouge and other California venues. Always a dog lover, Julie also had a dog grooming business frequented by Hollywood dogs belonging to such stars as Zsa Zsa Gabor.

After a move to Santa Rosa in the late 1970s, Julie began the journey that would define the rest of her days. She became a very active member of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1978. She loved AA and the new life of purpose and service to others that came with her 44 years of continuous sobriety. She sponsored many women into sobriety and often spoke at conferences and conventions, carrying a message filled with humor and hope.

Julie graduated from Santa Rosa Junior College with a nursing degree and moved to Chico to nurse at Enloe Hospital, later to become a Trauma/ ICU nurse. She went on to earn her BSN at California State University in Chico. She became a certified IV Specialist and pioneered the home infusion program, that with a book authored by Sonja and herself served as a model of other infusion programs throughout the United States. She then led the process for Enloe to be designated a Trauma II hospital. Julie later became a Certified Chemical Dependency Nurse and started the Recovery section of the Employee Assistance Program at Enloe. She served as Manager of Home Health and Hospice at Asante, Oregon, and Vice President of Nursing in Eugene prior to retiring.

With Sonja, Julie moved to Rogue River Oregon in 1991, and together they designed and built a creekside home in the village of Rogue River. However, she maintained a residence in Chico until 2018 and always considered Chico her ‘forever’ home.

Julie is survived by her life partner Sonja Nisson, niece Carole Barclay, sister Sandy Berry, Doug Nisson, nieces Courtney Berry and Danielle Parker, 1 great nephew, 2 great-great nephews, and all of her AA tribe. We all will miss her honesty, integrity, sense of humor, and compassionate kindness.

Public services will be held at the Brusie Funeral Home, 626 Broadway Street, Chico, on Thursday, June 1st at noon, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Orchard Church Office, 825 Main Street, Chico. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Rogue Valley Humane Society, 429 NW Scenic Drive, Grants Pass OR 97526; or to a Humane Society of your choice