Miss Julia Frances Mattocks

Julia Frances Mattocks, 99, of Galesburg, died at 4:32 a.m. Thursday, January 18, 2018 in Heartland Health Care Center.

She was born May 12, 1918, in Galesburg, the daughter of Harry C. and Mary J. (Smith) Mattocks.  She married Delmas Ingram September 15, 1950.  He preceded her in death.

Surviving are a niece, Jane (Dale) Cayot of Lebanon, Ohio and numerous great nieces and great nephews.  She was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, and one brother.

Along with family to mourn her loss are her neighbors, Bonnie Harris and family, Shirley Green, Steve and Jim Spellman, and Jerry, Julie, Grant, Heather, Larry, and Jim.

Julia graduated from Galesburg High School in 1936.  She worked as a seamstress for several years.  In the spring of 1942, she went to work at the Iowa Ordnance Plant in Burlington.  She worked building bombs.  After working there for several months, she and her sister, Helen, and two other girlfriends, traveled to Los Angeles, California.  There, she worked in a service station and at Lockheed as a Riveter.  She worked on the B-17 “the Flying Fortress”.  She worked there for several months.  Her mom became ill and they had to return home.  Julia then got a position at the Butler Manufacturing Company making Quonset huts for the military.  Later she worked at Gale Products making airplane parts.

Julia was very active in the Democratic Party Women’s group.  She was named Woman of the Year in 2013.  She received many awards and spoke at various places about the role she and other women played as support staff during World War II.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.

Cremation was accorded.  A celebration of her life will be held beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Directors and Cremations Services Galesburg Chapel.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Knox County Humane Society or to the donor’s choice.  Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.

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