Julia (Julie) Light, 87 of Montrose passed away Saturday, July 14, 2018 at the Montrose Health Center in Montrose, Iowa.
She was born December 10, 1930, the daughter of Isaac and Pauline Carmona Benoun, in Los Angeles, Calif.
Julie grew up working in her parent’s grocery store in California, Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, owned a grocery store in Warsaw, Ill., and worked in produce and meat departments in grocery stores in Hamilton, Ill., and in Keokuk, Iowa. She was an exceptional salesperson, selling appliances, mobile homes, worked with data entry, and in 1981 she opened the Lighthouse Christian Bookstore, in West Burlington, and then sold her bookstore in 1994.
At the age of 64, she had a life mission, that the Lord wanted her in Israel, and in January, 1994, moved there, taking only two suitcases of possessions. For 19 years Julie’s social and spiritual life was lived at Carmel Assembly. She was a deaconess of the church and treasurer, and ran a bed and breakfast at her home in Haifa, Israel, meeting and ministering to people from all over the world.
A devout believer in Jesus Christ, she always wore the glittering Star of David. She was known to many as Savta, which translated, means Grandma in Hebrew.
She was an incredible seamstress, making almost everything that she wore, and in their younger days, everything that her girls wore. Music was also a passion, and she had an operatic quality to her singing voice.
She is survived by her daughters, Pauline Phillips-Gill of Montrose, Maureen Dalton of Ashland, Mo., grandchildren, Jeffrey (Jessica) Ward of Ashland, Mo., HMCM (FMF/SW) David (Sandy) Lally, II of Okatie, S.C., Douglas Lally, of Opfenbach, Germany, Julie (Todd) Haden, of Orlando, Fla., Jon (fiancé Erin) Dalton of Ashland, Mo., Amanda (Dan) Ferreiro of Ashland, Mo., fourteen great-grandchildren, a sister, Rebecca Funk of Rancho Mirage, Calif., one brother, David Benoun of Las Vegas, Nev., along with many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, one sister, Sally Ruggirello, three brothers, Raymond, Victor and Samuel Benoun.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, July 21, at the Vigen Memorial Home in Keokuk with Kendall Hetrick officiating. Burial will be in the Montrose Cemetery.
Visitation will be held after 1 p.m. Friday with the family meeting with friends from 6 – 8 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Ima’s Goodies, a Nonprofit Organization in Haifa, Israel or to Lee County Hospice.
On-line condolences may be made to the family at www.vigenmemorialhome.com
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