Julie Anne (Gierke) Lazarchic, 50, of Seward, was called out of this life into eternal life as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021. As a baptized child of God, she received the crown of eternal life, and celebrates the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
Julie was born in Springfield, Illinois, on May 4, 1971, a gift of God to her parents, Gene and Linda (Hagen) Gierke. She was received into God’s family as His child through Holy Baptism on May, 23, 1971, at Zion Lutheran Church, Chestnut, Illinois. She reaffirmed her baptismal promises in her confirmation on March 31, 1985, at Peace Lutheran Church, Waverly. She grew up in Spencer and Waverly. She graduated from Waverly High School in 1989. She attended Concordia University-Nebraska, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993. From there, she went on to get her Master of Arts degree in Library Science at the University of Iowa in 1995. Being certified as a commissioned minister church worker in The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, she accepted her first call to serve at Luther High School South, Chicago, Illinois, where she taught English, library and computers from 1995 – 2002. From there, she accepted a call to serve at Immanuel Lutheran School, Seymour, Indiana, where she taught junior high computers, English and served as the librarian and tech coordinator from 2002-2011.
On July 27, 2007, she was married to John Lazarchic at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seymour, Indiana. To this union was born a son, Caleb, on May 18, 2010. They moved to Seward in 2011 to be near family. Julie was a stay-at-home mom and also served as a substitute teacher in the Seward area. In 2016, she began a teaching position at ESU 7 in Columbus, where she loved serving her students. She also at this time received her Master of Special Ed degree from University of Nebraska-Kearney. Julie was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Seward, along with her family. She served on the PTL board for a few years, played piano for the St. John services at the retirement home, helped with the food pantry and with funeral lunches, was a driver to help take St. John members to medical appointments, served as a writer for the St. John newsletter, served as VBS snack coordinator and willingly served as Jesus’ hands and feet to help many people in need. She was a kind and loving person to many and gave of herself in numerous ways. She also made the best chocolate chip cookies ever and gave most of them away to others.
Those who remain to honor her life are her husband, John, and son, Caleb; her mother and father, Gene and Linda Gierke; one brother, Jeff Gierke, his wife Chris and their children Jaret, Colin, Elizabeth and Makayla, along with many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends.
Her brother, Brian Gierke; grandparents, Arnold and Lillian Gierke and Ray and Florence Hagen; and her aunts, Judy Gierke and Karen Gehrke, were waiting to greet her upon her arrival in heaven as were her parents-in-law, Robert and Barbara Lazarchic.
Visitation is from 2 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 9, at Volzke Funeral Home in Seward with gathering of family and friends from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The funeral service is at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 10, at St. John Lutheran Church in Seward with interment at the Seward Cemetery. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. John Lutheran School, Concordia University-Nebraska or ESU 7 in Columbus. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.volzkefuneralhome.com.
