Julie Kaye (Madison) Pohlman

Julie Kaye Pohlman, 61, of Grafton, Illinois, passed away peacefully at her home on Saturday, February 14, 2026, surrounded by the love she had spent a lifetime giving to others.

She was born on August 19, 1964, in Fairfield, California, to Rollie and Janice (Miller) Madison, while her father was stationed with the United States Air Force. The family lived in Vacaville until 1967, when they returned to Des Moines, Iowa, where Julie grew up at 4014 13th Street, a home that helped shape the strong, compassionate, and spirited woman she would become.

Julie attended Oak Park Elementary School, Des Moines Christian School, Warren Harding Junior High, and graduated from North High School in 1982. She continued her education at Drake University, earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education in 1986.

It was at Drake, in the kind of story you truly can’t script, where fate stepped in and gently rearranged her plans. Julie met Frederick William Pohlman III through a twist of timing and circumstance that only she could turn into a love story. With honesty, courage, and a sense of humor that defined her, she followed her heart. The rest, as they say, was history.

In 1988, Julie moved to Alton and she and Fred were married on January 28, 1989 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Brussels. They began their life together in Calhoun County before moving to their home in Grafton in 2001, a home that would become a gathering place filled with laughter, music, friends, and open doors.

Julie began her career as a Physical Education teacher and Driver’s Education instructor in Brussels. But it did not take long for her to find what she was truly called to do, walk alongside people in their hardest moments and help them believe they were worth fighting for.

She became a family advocate, a crisis counselor for survivors of domestic violence, and later a Head Start Program Coordinator for first through third grades, serving 19 public school districts and 11 parochial schools. She worked tirelessly, often behind the scenes, ensuring children and families had support, stability, and dignity.

Perhaps some of her most joyful years were spent working at Raging Rivers Water Park in Grafton, where she found joy every day with sunshine on her face, constant movement, and conversations with people from every walk of life. For the past five years, she served as a Health Coordinator for Chestnut Health Systems, working with substance abuse clients across 28 counties in Illinois Region 4. In every position she held, Julie’s mission never changed: meet people where they are, love them without judgment, and help them see their own strength.

Julie had an extraordinary ability to connect with people of all ages and backgrounds. Whether speaking with a child, a neighbor, a coworker, or a stranger, she made everyone feel valued and understood. She lived her life with genuine kindness, always offering encouragement and grace. She also had a special place in her heart for animals and found great happiness in caring for them.

Warm sunshine revived her spirit. The ocean, sand between her toes, and tropical vacations with family and friends were not luxuries to her, they were reminders to live fully and soak in joy.

Above all, Julie was first and foremost devoted to her family. As the mother of three sons, she embraced every part of being a “boy mom,” learning along the way and giving her whole heart to the role. Through every success, challenge, and lesson, she remained their greatest supporter and most honest guide. She celebrated their victories, helped them through disappointments, and never stopped believing in them.

Her husband, Fred, was her everything. They did life together, not just as husband and wife or as parents, but as true best friends. They laughed together, traveled together and navigated the hard seasons of life together. They built a partnership grounded in respect, humor and loyalty. Their marriage was not just something they had, it was something they nurtured and was a true testament to devotion and commitment.

To know Julie was to not only love her, but to admire her. She was a fierce and loyal friend, a natural bridge-builder, and someone who was never afraid to tear down barriers if it meant bringing people together. She made the world more fulfilling, more compassionate, and more hopeful simply by being in it.

Over the past year, as Julie battled throat cancer and endured the devastating effects of treatment along with her diagnosis of CIDP, the very traits that had defined her life only intensified. Where many would have grown bitter, Julie chose resilience, and where many would have withdrawn, she opened her doors wider. Throughout this journey, she was guided and supported in countless ways by one of her dearest friends and devoted health advocates, Patty Kumbera, whose tireless care, encouragement, and steady presence meant more than words can express. Together, Julie and Patty worked to keep family, friends, and loved ones informed through thoughtful updates and social media posts, ensuring that even in the hardest moments, connection and community remained at the center of Julie’s story.

Her family and friends stood faithfully beside her through hospital stays, treatments, and long days, and somehow, in the midst of it all, she continued to give them strength right back. Surrounded by love, prayer, laughter, and unwavering support, Julie faced each challenge with courage and grace. That was Julie’s way.

In her final days, she did what she had always done: she took charge with grace and intention. She chose to be at home, and welcomed hundreds of friends and loved ones. She had the hard conversations, she recorded stories and memories and she made sure nothing was left unsaid and that everyone knew how deeply they were loved. And when she felt her work here was finished, she let go peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of love that will never fade.

She is survived by her mother, Janice Ridder of Jerseyville; her father and stepmother, Rollie and Marj Madison of Des Moines, Iowa; her beloved husband, Fred Pohlman of Grafton; her three sons, Frederick William Pohlman IV (Jordynn) of Valley Park, Missouri, Sam Pohlman (Emily) of Golden Eagle, and Luke Pohlman (Stacia Dick) of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania; her cherished granddaughter, Eleanor, with another grandchild on the way; her sister, Jana Madison of Altoona, Iowa; her brother and sister-in-law, Rollie and Jaime Madison of Spring Lake, Michigan; along with a host of dear friends and extended family members.

She was preceded in death by her stepfathers, Richard “Dick” Whiton and Walter “Bud” Ridder; and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Carol Sue and Frederick William “Fritz” Pohlman Jr.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, beginning at 12 p.m. at the Grafton American Legion.

Memorials may be given to Riverbend Humane Society, Jersey Community High School Band Boosters, or Here’s to Reading—little libraries throughout Jersey County that provide free access to workstations, internet, and books for those in need.

Julie lived a life rooted in kindness, courage, and connection. She loved boldly, served faithfully, gave endlessly and leaves behind a world forever changed by her presence.

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