Julia Dumpert

Following a beautiful life full of love and family Julia Dumpert (nee Strobel), age 66, of Stockholm, NJ passed away peacefully on Thursday,  June 30, 2022 with her family by her side.

Julia was born in Jersey City, NJ and was the oldest of five children to Jack and Kay Strobel.  When Julia was only a baby, her family moved to Wayne, NJ where she grew up.  As a young girl, Julia’s family provided her with the gift of music.  Julia learned to play the piano in her youth and continued to enjoy it throughout her life.  As a young girl she attended DePaul High School in Wayne, NJ where she excelled in academics and began to develop her interest in what would become her calling to medicine.

After graduating from DePaul High School in 1973, Julia enrolled at the St Francis School of Nursing in Jersey City. There, Julia earned her degree and certification as a Registered Nurse.  After earning her nursing degree, Julia found her calling as a RN at Chilton Memorial Hospital in Pompton Plains, NJ.  Over the years she became the Emergency Room Nursing Manager, and later managed the Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU).  Julia’s career at Chilton Memorial Hospital (now part of the Atlantic System) spanned more than thirty years.

Julia eventually left Chilton Memorial Hospital and accepted a position at Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains, NJ as a Critical Care Coordinator caring for Cedar Crest residents admitted into several of the local medical facilities. Julia attended rounds daily and maintained personal contact with each patient. She developed and executed a specific and detailed plan of services and support for each patient being released back to their home or a sub-acute facility to assure best outcomes upon return. Julia held this position for over a decade until her retirement in October 2020.  Julia genuinely treasured the work she did and the people she served. Julia was truly loved and greatly respected by her colleagues, her patients, and her peers. Julia dedicated her life to helping and caring for others.

As a young teenage girl during high school, Julia worked at a local Stop and Shop supermarket.  While employed there, she worked alongside a colleague by the name of Larry Dumpert.  The two got along wonderfully at work and decided to go out on a date.  For their first date, Larry called upon a friend who owned a large white Cadillac to chauffer Julia and he to Larry’s sister’s diving competition at William Paterson College. Julia, at age 16, and Larry, 17, bonded and dated for about four years. As fate would have it, they fell in love and on October 16, 1976 Julia and Larry became husband and wife.

In 1978, the newlyweds settled in Stockholm, NJ where they raised their two children, Jessica and Matthew.  After their children grew up, Julia returned to school part-time at Felician College in Lodi, NJ where she earned her bachelor’s degree.  

As a young woman, Julia enjoyed the beach, particularly on Long Beach Island where she, her family and Larry spent a couple of weeks each summer while dating and then continued throughout their life together.

Julia extended her summer tradition to include her children, frequenting Long Beach Island at the Jersey Shore every year.  Julia also enjoyed the beaches of North Carolina and Florida while visiting with family and friends.  She made very special post-retirement long trips with her husband Larry in 2021 & 2022. One exploring the Great Smokey Mountains of NC and TN. Another, (their final vacation) expanded to beach resorts and waterfall sites on the entire East Coast; with side trips to Colonial Williamsburg; the Everglades of Florida; Mt. Airy, NC (a.k.a. Mayberry); Gettysburg, etc. while enjoying fine dining, shows, plays, and music festivals along the way.

As everyone who knew Julia could attest, it was clear that Julia’s true calling in private life was to be a mom and grandmother (called Mama & Grandmama).  Being a mother is where Julia truly flourished and dedicated herself.  Julia’s greatest passion in life was her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Julia than providing for, and spending time with her children and grandchildren.  Julia and Larry cherished fifty years together including forty-six-plus years of loving and loyal marriage together.

Julia was her daughter’s cheerleading coach, and never missed attending any of Jessica’s or Matthew’s activities or sporting events.  Besides being a dedicated mother, Julia was an extremely dedicated grandmother.  Whenever Julia’s family got together, Julia could always be found playing, reading, crafting, swimming, etc. with her grandchildren. She sincerely cherished family events.  Julia was a genuinely selfless person, nearly to a fault, who would put the needs and wants of others before her own.

Given her decades of experience in emergency and intensive care medicine, Julia was acutely aware of the need for organ donors, particularly those languishing on long waiting lists. So when Julia fell ill, she held to her commitment to give the “Gift of Life” through organ donation. Julia was a truly special person who touched the lives of everyone around her and will be profoundly missed by her family and friends alike. She continues to help those in need even after her passing.

Julia is survived by her husband Larry Dumpert of Stockholm, NJ, her daughter Jessica Rostami and her husband Rey of Stockholm, NJ, her son Matthew and his wife Katie of Oakland, NJ; three sisters - Cathy Trentacosta and her husband Gary of Georgia, Susan Weiss and her husband Jay of North Carolina, and Carol Cangiano and her husband  Vinny of Florida, her brother Jack Strobel and his wife Barbaraof Nort h Carolina; five grandchildren - Cyrus, Darius, Colin, Kaia, and Julianna Jeanne, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Julia’s name may be made to:

Sharing Network Foundation, 691 Central Ave, New Providence, NJ 07974 https://www.sharingnetworkfoundation.org/contribute,

Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr, Tampa, FL 33607 http://www.lovetotherescue.org,

St Jude Children’s Research Hospital Memorials Processing 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105-9959 http://www.stjude.org

or Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation 636 Morris Turnpike Suite 3A, Short Hills, NJ 07078 http://www.christopherreeve.org