Julia Karin Lawson

Julia Karin Lawson, 78, of Bloomington, died of pancreatic cancer on Wednesday, January 10. She was born on January 21, 1945 in Englewood, New Jersey to Henry and Julie Hoffmann. Julia grew up in River Vale, New Jersey and graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1967. She earned her M.A. in 1968 and her Ph.D. in 1980 in German from Indiana University. As a graduate student at IU, she met John Lawson and they fell in love. They married on March 21, 1969. Julia dedicated her life and career to education. She taught German as a visiting professor at Indiana University at Bloomington from 1980 to 1984. In 1985, the family moved to Alexandria, Virginia where she continued her teaching career at Northern Virginia Community College, Georgetown University’s continuing education program, and as a program director at Languages Incorporated, a private school in Falls Church, Virginia. After moving back to Bloomington in 2002, she resumed teaching at IU in 2004 as an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Germanic Studies. Additionally, she worked as a translator and served as a diction coach for Jacob School of Music’s Opera Theater from 2008 through this past fall. In addition to teaching, Julia was always actively involved in her community. While living in Virginia, she volunteered with the Northern Virginia Swimming League. In Bloomington, her activities are almost too numerous to count but included volunteering with the Lotus Education and Arts Foundation, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, and serving on the board of the Bloomington Early Music Festival. Julia had numerous interests and hobbies. She enjoyed horseback riding, swimming, and being in nature. For most of her time in Virginia, she played coed and women’s softball. She loved music, theater, and dancing. In the 1980s, she participated in several productions with Bloomington Town Theater. She played piano and guitar and was recently learning the accordion. Most of all she loved to sing with family, friends, and in the UUCB Choir. She was an amazing knitter who never met someone who didn’t need a gorgeous handmade sweater, delighted in her Duolingo streak, tended a beautiful garden, solved cryptic crosswords, and devoured crime procedurals. She cherished her family and friends, maintaining connections with people from every stage of her life and traveling as often as possible to visit relatives and loved ones in Germany and Switzerland. She was always ready to lend a helping hand and open her door to neighbors, family, and friends. She could often be found enjoying porch time with loved ones; if anyone she knew walked by, she always invited them to join her. Julia is survived by her beloved family: son, Robert, daughter-in-law, Suzanne Dell’Orto, and grandchild Nico; son David and daughter-in-law, Bridget Gavaghan; her sister Toni Letaw; and brother Carl Hoffmann. She is preceded in death by her husband and her parents. A celebration of Julia's life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington at 1:00pm on Saturday, June 29, 2024. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her name to the Bloomington Early Music Festival (https://blemf.org/). Allen Funeral Home and Crematory, 4155 South Old State Road 37 in Bloomington have been entrusted with arrangements. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with family and friends at allencares.com

Tributes

Julia Karin Lawson

January 21, 1945 - January 10, 2024