Alcoa, Tennesee
Father Joseph William Julius, Jr. W4DQG, beloved Catholic priest for more than 60 years, died of cancer-related health problems in the late afternoon on 3 February 2006. He was the pastor at St. Francis Catholic Church in Townsend for twelve years and most recently a resident priest at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Alcoa. He was born in Memphis, Tennessee, September 1, 1920.
He graduated from Immaculate Conception Catholic school in Memphis and was a graduate of both Saint Ambrose University in Des Moines, Iowa, and Kendrick Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed additional graduate study in theology at Notre Dame University and at Rome, Italy. In addition to his numerous pastoral assignments throughout Tennessee, including Nashville, Cookeville, Tullahoma, and Oak Ridge, he was for many years an inspirational and popular teacher of religion, chemistry and physics at Father Ryan Catholic High School in Nashville.
He was also an avid ham radio operator whose call sign was W4DQG, his only call. He was QRV for almost 70 years and was familiar on the missionary nets. He kept up his scheds on 40m 7.185 mon, fri and sat mornings, right up to his final stay at the hospital.
He is survived by his sister, Lillian Julius Nichols of Little Rock, Arkansas, her sons, Philip and William Nichols; his brother Edward Bleke Julius, Sr., and sister-in-law, Elizabeth Julius, their son and daughter, Edward Julius, Jr., and Mary Ann Ralph, two grand nieces and one grand nephew, all of Memphis. He was a steady and caring friend to all who knew him.
Visitation was Sunday, February 5, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Knoxville, followed by a funeral service, Monday at 11:00 AM, conducted by Bishop Joseph Kurtz of the Knoxville Diocese. Fr. Julius was then transported to Nashville for a funeral service at the Cathedral of the Incarnation where he was ordained as a priest on June 2, 1945. Fr. Choby, designated Bishop of the Nashville Diocese, conducted the service. Father Joe is buried in Nashville at the Priest’s Mound in Calvary Cemetery.