Julia Anne Todd Lacey Atkins Cramer Brown passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on November 18, 2024 at the age of 96. Her deep faith, love of travel, insatiable thirst for learning, keen business acumen and regal pragmatism will long be remembered by those who adored her.

Born on June 23, 1928 in Lincoln, VA, Julia was the only child of Katharine Ann (Todd) Lacey and Walter Ashton Lacey. Julia’s first 13 years, during the height of the Great Depression, were spent in the care of her grandmother, Mrs. George Todd. Mrs. Todd’s home, in Salisbury, MD, was a formal and Victorian residence dedicated to etiquette and education. Julia’s pragmatism, frugality and pristine manners, the hallmarks of her character, were borne from these unique early years. After her mother remarried, 13 year-old Julia was brought to live in their home in Cambridge, MD. Together with her step-father, William McKenny Paul, and beloved sister, Nancy Katharine (Paul) Taitt, Julia spent time on the Choptank River developing a deep love for Maryland’s Eastern Shore that lasted throughout her lifetime- a love that she passed on to all of her children.

Following her graduation from Wilson College in Chambersburg, PA, Julia went on a grand tour of Europe which ignited a love of travel that never ended. In 1949, she returned to Baltimore to start her new career as an English Teacher in the Baltimore County School system. Shortly after, she met the love of her life, a handsome young medical student named Raymond Atkins. The two were married on the lawn of her beloved Cambridge home in 1951 and five children soon followed.

Despite her busy life raising her family, Julia was very active in her community and her husband’s professional world. She served on multiple boards including the Auxiliaries of Baltimore City Medical Society and the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland. As his medical practice and obligations grew, she became involved and assisted him in his leadership roles on the local, state and national levels. Julia even enrolled in H&R tax courses that allowed her to manage all financial aspects of his business activities as well as the family’s private finances. She also enjoyed being an active member of the Woman’s Club of Roland Park beginning in 1971 and, after holding multiple board positions, became its 39th President in 1994.

Once her children were grown, Ray was working more hours than ever. According to Julia, she had done everything she could think of to keep busy- she had built a backyard pool, taught herself to needlepoint, learned how to wallpaper and joined a tennis league. When she told her husband that she was growing bored he responded, “Well I suggest you do something about that.” Not the answer she expected. But, true to her nature, she used that moment to change her outlook and spent the next 30 years building a small real estate empire. At its pinnacle, Julia’s real estate portfolio included over 50 residential rental units; two office buildings in Fells Point; two condominiums in Ocean City, MD. In 1969, Ray had purchased a 200-acre cattle farm in West Virginia. Despite her assertion that she “didn’t know the difference between a pasture and a meadow,” she also handled the day-to-day operations of that venture for 25 years. Homeland Farm was a cherished retreat for Ray and the children that Julia managed meticulously.

Julia’s passion for travel was well-known. She and Ray would take two weeks every year going to places that were not mainstream at the time. They were among the first commercial travelers to the Galapagos Islands in the early 70’s. One year, she arranged a trip in two dugout canoes down the Suriname River for her young family’s Spring Break. Her wanderlust was fueled by an intellectual curiosity and a fascination with different cultures that was evident until her very last breath.

Julia spoke often of the importance of faith and religion, often reminding her children that the Presbyterian Church was the foundation of her life. She raised her family in the Second Presbyterian Church of Roland Park, ultimately serving as an elder there for many years. Even in her last days, Julia spoke of the perfect plans that God has for each of us and credits Him for allowing her to live an incredibly full and joyful life.

Julia is survived by her four children and their spouses, Julia Ann Todd Haciski, Raymond Melvin Atkins, Jr., William Paul Atkins (Lesley), and Elizabeth Woodcock Schroeder (John). In addition, she leaves behind 15 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, as well many nieces, nephews and cousins. She is predeceased by her husband, Dr. Raymond Atkins; her son, Thomas Barlow; her grandson, Raymond Melvin Atkins III; and her sister, Nancy Paul Taitt. Following the much-too-young death of Dr. Atkins in 1992, Julia married Eustace Cramer in 1996. They were together until his death in 2000. In 2004, she married James Brown who passed away in 2018.

Julia was a radiant force, unapologetically bold and always a source of straightforward wisdom. Her absence will be profoundly felt but her spirit will live on for generations to come.  

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