Julia Feldman

Julia Victoria Garate Burgos Feldman, age 93, died peacefully on February 5, 2024.

Julia was born in Lima, Peru, on December 5, 1930, the third child of Oscar Garate Delgado and Julia Burgos Alvarado. She was raised in Lima and came to the United States for vacation in 1957. However, while literally on Miami Beach, she met the love of her life, Brian Feldman.

The couple soon married in 1958 and by the early 1960s settled in Homewood, Alabama. Julia, a devout Catholic, persuaded Brian, who was raised Jewish, to convert and the couple raised four children in the Catholic faith.

Julia spent these early years as a homemaker, caring for her family and ensuring her children were able to attend all their various activities - swimming, basketball and football games/practices, music lessons, etc. Julia was loving and fiercely proud of her family. She was staunchly devoted to her husband and children; and in her later years to her grandchildren and great grandchild. Although she did not love or play sports, she did happily endure her family's love of sports. In addition, she made sure that Sunday Mass was never missed.

Julia was remarkable in so many ways - not the least of which is coming to this country in 1957 without knowing how to speak English and then remaining here for the next 65 plus years and raising a very close and loving extended family. She also had a unique ability to make everyone she met feel special. In addition to the extraordinary amount of love which she had and freely gave to those around her, she also had an extraordinary amount of energy. And, truth be told - a good deal of stubbornness which, more often than not, was a great asset.

Of course, there was her great faith. She was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church for 60 years, and active in that church community. In her last years, she often attended Mass at St. Francis Xaiver. Her belief in God and her Catholic faith always remained a pillar of her life. Her kindness to all she came in contact with was on full display. In short, the world was a better place with her in it.

She is survived by, her children, Danny (Mur) Feldman, Richard Feldman and Victoria Feldman Menke as well as her daughter in law, Jeannie Feldman, her grandchildren, Dani (Diana) Feldman, Christian (Sydney Willmann) Feldman, Brian Feldman, Hallie Feldman, Rebecca (Blake) Silver, Veronica Feldman, Lainey Feldman, Julianna Menke and her great grandson, Charles Alan Silver.

She was preceded in death by her husband Brian Feldman, her parents, Oscar and Julia Garate Burgos her brothers, Oscar Garate Burgos and Eduardo Garate Burgos, and her sister, Gloria Garate Ponce. Her son Glenn Feldman preceded her in death (October 19, 2015) as did her daughter in law, Gloria Feldman (June 10, 2011).

A visitation will be held from 9:00-10:00 AM on February 12th at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home with a graveside service immediately following.

A funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church at a time TBD, but probably in early March. For further information, you may call Our Lady of Sorrows 205-871-8121.