SEWARD, N.E.
Julie Anne (Gierke) Lazarchic, 50, of Seward, NE was called out of this life into eternal life as a gift of God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, on Thursday, December 2, 2021. As a baptized child of God she received the crown of eternal life, and celebrates the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.
Julie was born in Springfield, Illinois, on May 4, 1971, a gift of God to her parents, Gene and Linda (Hagen) Gierke. She was received into God’s family as His child through Holy Baptism on May, 23, 1971 at Zion Lutheran Church, Chestnut, Illinois. She reaffirmed her baptismal promises in her confirmation on March 31, 1985 at Peace Lutheran Church, Waverly, NE.
She grew up in Spencer and Waverly, Nebraska. She graduated from Waverly High School in 1989. She attended Concordia University Nebraska, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1993. From there she went on to get her Master of Arts degree in Library Science at the University of Iowa in 1995.
Being certified as a commissioned minister church worker in The Lutheran Church?Missouri Synod she accepted her first call to serve at Luther High School South, Chicago, Illinois where she taught English, Library and Computers from 1995 – 2002.
From there she accepted a call to serve at Immanuel Lutheran School, Seymour, Indiana where she taught Junior High Computers, English, and served as the Librarian and Tech Coordinator from 2002-2011.
On July 27, 2007, she was married to John Lazarchic at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Seymour, Indiana. To this union was born a son, Caleb on May 18, 2010.
They moved to Seward, Nebraska in 2011 to be near family. Julie was a stay-at-home Mom and also served as a substitute teacher in the Seward area. In 2016 she began a teaching position at ESU 7 in Columbus, Nebraska where she loved serving her students. She also at this time received her Master of Special Ed degree from University of Nebraska Kearney.
Julie was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Seward along with her family. She served on the PTL board for a few years, played piano for the St. John services at the retirement home, helped with the food pantry and with funeral lunches, was a driver to help take St. John members to medical appointments, served as a writer for the St. John newsletter, served as VBS snack coordinator and willingly served as Jesus’ hands and feet to help many people in need.
She was a kind and loving person to many and gave of herself in numerous ways. She also made the best chocolate chip cookies ever and gave most of them away to others.
Those who remain to honor her life are her husband John and son Caleb; her mother and father Gene and Linda Gierke; one brother Jeff Gierke, his wife Chris and their children Jaret, Colin, Elizabeth and Makayla along with many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and many many friends.
Her brother Brian Gierke, grandparents Arnold and Lillian Gierke and Ray and Florence Hagen; aunt Judy Gierke and aunt Karen Gehrke, were waiting to greet her upon her arrival in heaven as were her parents-in-law, Robert and Barbara Lazarchic.
This is the earthly record of Julie. The heavenly record reads, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord that they may rest from their labors.” (Rev. 14:13)
MEMORIALS IN CARE OF ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL, CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY NEBRASKA OR ESU 7 COLUMBUS (If giving to ESU 7 Columbus, please make checks payable to Lazarchic family with memo to ESU 7).
If you cannot attend the service we invite you to worship with us by live streaming on YouTube “St. John Seward Live stream”.