Julie Kozlowski, member of Sonoma County produce and farming families, dies at 58

Julie Kozlowski, a devoted mother and grandmother who was born into a Greek produce family and married into a Sonoma County farming family, died peacefully on Jan. 12 at her Sebastopol home after a courageous battle with cancer. She was 58.

She was born in Ogden, Utah, where her father and grandfather were in the produce business. At the age of 5, her parents moved the family to Sonoma County, where her father, Andy Skikos, would open Andy’s Produce in Sebastopol.

She attended Ursuline High School in Santa Rosa and served as a song leader for the athletic teams. A family member introduced her to her future husband, Perry Kozlowski, and they were married on Feb. 18, 1978.

For many years, she worked in the Sebastopol store, then worked in ?the administrative office for Andy’s Produce, helping to run the business alongside other family members.

“She was not only my sister, but my best friend,” said her younger sister, Shelley Klucznik of Santa Rosa. “She was a very selfless person, and would always think about others. Her family and her kids and grandkids were everything to her.”

She and her husband also had their own apple orchard in Sebastopol, where they grew Gravensteins and other apple varieties.

Throughout her life, she loved to travel, including a family vacation in Cabo San Lucas and road trips in her motor home, which she named “Thelma,” after the 1991 film “Thelma & Louise.”

“She was always up for an adventure,” her sister said. “She was very fun loving .?.?. and she had an infectious laugh.”

Holidays were a big ?deal, and she enjoyed celebrating them with her family, especially when they came up with themed parties, such as the pajama party they threw one Christmas.

She attended St. Sebastian Church in Sebastopol and donated to many community charities, particularly charities for children and animals.

“Dogs and horses were a big part of her life,” her sister said. “And her grandchildren were the light of her life.”

Lovingly known as “Juju” to her three grandchildren, she enjoyed going to their sporting events and other activities.

She was preceded in death by her older brother, Jim Skikos of Sebastopol, who died in 2014.

In addition to her younger sister, she is survived by her parents, Andy and Kathrin Skikos of Sebastopol; her husband, Perry Kozlowski; her daughters Janae Kozlowski and Jina Homan of Sebastopol; her son Tyler Kozlowski of Sebastopol; her brother, Chris Skikos of Sebastopol; her sister, Kim Heing of Santa Rosa; and three grandchildren.

A rosary service will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at St. Sebastian Church in Sebastopol, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Diane Peterson