Julann Elizabeth Wolter
Julann Elizabeth Wolter (née Cook) – aptly known throughout her life as “Jolly,” was born at Seattle General Hospital on December 1st, 1925, to Julia Louise and George Harry Cook, younger sister to Eileen (Cook) Scott and older sister to George H. Cook Jr. Jolly, who attended Oak Lake Elementary school, graduated from Queen Anne High School in 1943. She met David Frank Wolter, the man with whom she would share her long and adventure-filled life, on December 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day. Jolly and David married in October of 1943, two months before David left to join the 8th Air Force as a B-17 co-pilot in the European theater. Thus began a theme that ran throughout Jolly’s richly active life: that of support and helpmate to her husband of 67 years. She steadfastly held onto hope as her young husband was declared missing in action and then rejoiced when he was later recognized as a P.O.W. in Germany. Upon David’s return to Seattle after the war, Jolly worked to support him in his medical studies at the University of Washington and then graciously embraced a twenty-eight year career as the military wife of an Air Force physician as well as the ever-involved and caring mother to son Mark and daughter Sally. A fun-loving and vivacious woman, Jolly made friends wherever she went, achieving fluency in both German and French in order to better communicate with neighbors and friends made during various tours of duty. Upon retirement from the Air Force, the Wolters returned to their home state, where David went into private practice in obstetrics and gynecology on Mercer Island in 1970. There Jolly established a warm and inviting home where she and David regularly welcomed a steady stream of houseguests from all over the world. Jolly derived great pleasure in finding creative ways to make others happy. When she wasn’t entertaining, wild blackberry picking, bird watching or cooking up adventures for her children, grand-children and great-grandchildren, Jolly was out working in her beautiful garden – especially her stunning tulip beds, which brought her as much pleasure as they did her fortunate neighbors. Even after David and Jolly retired to the Covenant Shores Retirement Community in 2005, Jolly continued her passion as master gardener, soon becoming known as “the flower lady” among residents there. This spring will witness the final bloom of her handiwork as the 900 tulips that she, along with the help and support of David and their son Mark, planted in fall. Jolly died in the loving presence of her family on the evening of January 29th, leaving behind a legacy of love for family and commitment to causes she cared about – most notably the historic election of President Barack Obama, for whom she served as an alternate delegate and whom she vociferously supported even in the most politically conservative of circles! Her five grandchildren, Maureen, David, Darcy, Christopher and Freddy, along with her four great-grandchildren, Janie, Ryan, Francesca and Emma, as well as friends and extended family too numerous to count, join husband David, son Mark, (Susan), and daughter Sally (David McLaughlin) in their deep sense of both loss and gratitude.A celebration of Jolly’s life will take place at 1:30 pm on Friday, February 12th at the Fellowship Hall of Covenant Shores Retirement Community, 9104 Fortuna Drive, Mercer Island, Washington.In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jolly’s honor to the Seattle Girls’ School, 2706 S. Jackson Street, Seattle, Washington, 98144
