julie ann lichty

Julie Ann Lichty, daughter of Harley and Joanne (Fuhrer) Grone, was born in Deshler, Nebraska on June 26, 1961. She passed from this life at Bryan LGH West, Lincoln, Nebraska from complications of diabetes at the age of 49 years. 

Julie attended kindergarten through the 12^th grade at Davenport High School and graduated in 1979. After graduation, she attended York College for 2 years and then Oklahoma Christian College for 1 year. She moved to Kansas City and worked for Bea and Melvin Behnke, her aunt and uncle, before moving back to the farm. On September 4, 1993 Julie was united in marriage to Lon Lichty in Davenport, Nebraska. They made their home in Davenport close to Lon’s farming. Julie was baptized and was a faithful member of the Davenport Church of Christ all of her life. Her faith was important to her as she taught Sunday school and cleaned the church for many years. Julie enjoyed raising bucket calves on the farm with her Dad, playing with all the farm cats and giving them each a name. She loved to go shopping with her Mom especially to Hastings. They had many fun trips together. Most of all, she was know as the “cookie lady” of Davenport. She baked and decorated cookies for all of the holidays, taking orders, and keeping dough in the refrigerator ready to be baked. Everyone always argued over the Santa cookies because his beard had the most frosting! Lon was always glad when she made mistakes because he could have all of those extra cookies! She and Lon were avid collectors of the Raikes teddy bears and enjoyed collecting those over the years. She loved playing monopoly with her nieces and several card games: pitch, nerts, and spoons. It was always fun when Hilary and Heath would play cards with them on New Years Eve. She would paint the nieces fingernails when they came to visit. As Julie’s disease progressed, the girls returned the favor and painted her nails. She loved every holiday, dressing with sweaters, earrings, shoes, etc. to match the holiday. Even though she had a debilitating disease, she enjoyed life, being a daughter, sister, wife, and friend. She will be sadly missed by her family, friends, caregivers, and community. 

Julie was preceded in death by her grandparents, Bertha and Harold Grone and William and Eva Fuhrer; her father Harley Grone; her aunt and uncle Gerald and Carlene Lambert; aunt Nelva Grone; brother-in-law DeRoy Miller; and father-in-law Gene Lichty. She is survived by her husband Lon of their home; mother Joanne Grone of Davenport, NE; brother Dennis Grone and wife Loma, of Davenport and their children Hilary Grone, Curtis, NE, Heath, Angie, and Harley Grone, Papillion, NE, and Brock Grone, Sunnyvale, TX; sister Marcia Sansom and husband Charlie and their daughters Marianne, Malissa, and Mallory, Eudora, KS; mother-in-law Lila Lichty, Carleton, NE; sisters-in-law Mary Lee Miller of Hebron, NE and her daughter Emilee Doll, Lincoln, NE; Marsha Barr and husband Jim, Liberty, NE and their children Jenny Barr, Hastings, NE, Ross Barr, Lincoln, NE, and Daniel Barr, Liberty, NE, and Marla Mueller and husband Con, Hickman, NE and their children Joshua and Michelle Mueller, Creston, IA, Janae and David Chochon, Ferndale, MI, and Kale Mueller, Hickman, NE. She is also survived by her favorite cats, Buffer and Sam, many other relatives and friends. Julie’s family would like to thank the Thayer County Health Services staff and doctors for their patience and care, and the Kidney Dialysis nurses for their professional care, as well as the nurses & doctors at BryanLGH. Most of all, Lon would like to thank Joanne for all of her time and care for Julie so he could do his farming.

Funeral Services:  Saturday, July 17, at 10:30 AM at Davenport Church of Christ, Davenport, NE.

Interment:  Davenport City Cemetery, Davenport, NE

Memorials:  to the family's choice