Julie Ann Exner (ńee Cornett) of Sandy, Oregon, was received in the arms of Jesus on Monday, April 7, 2025, after enduring years of serious medical conditions.
She was a shining light in the lives of all who had the privilege of knowing her. Her journey on this earth was one marked by love, compassion and an unwavering faith and love in God. She was dedicated to understanding her faith and sharing it with those around her. Her passing has left a deep void in the hearts of her family, friends, and everyone who knew her.
Julie was born to Everett and Helen Cornett on April 17, 1956 in Nyssa, Oregon. In 1959 the family moved to LaGrande, Oregon where she graduated from high school in 1974. She then studied at Eastern Oregon State University and Oregon State University until August of 1977 when she married the love of her life, Carl. While married, she completed her degree from Central Washington University with a BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology in 1979.
Her husband’s Forest Service career took them to various locations around the Pacific Northwest and instilled in her a love for the wilderness. Huckleberry season always found her in the woods with her bucket, collecting a bounty she turned into jams and pies. She was an amazing cook, seamstress and canner, filling hundreds of mason jars with seasonal fruits and vegetables to feed the family year-round. She became a fan of the NFL, especially the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers, and rarely missed a game.
Julie and Carl relocated to Sandy in 1988 and became actively involved in the community. Julie provided bookkeeping services for The Village Fellowship Church in Welches and performed accounting tasks for several other organizations. She was a board member of the Sandy Historical Society and attended Good Shepherd Community Church in Boring. Over the years Julie and her husband were marriage mentors in their church. Over the course of her life, Julie was an elementary school assistant, piano teacher, 4-H extension supervisor and owner of her own property management business.
Those who knew Julie will remember her for her quirky sense of humor and her unwavering commitment to spreading love and kindness to everyone she encountered. She found joy in celebrating birthdays, holidays and the seasons with family and friends. The doctors, nurses and hospital staff involved in her care during these past three years recognized her as an amazing woman who took a genuine interest in the lives of those around her and who never complained about her illness. Her trust in God was infallible. She embraced her terminal condition with grace and incredible patience, outliving all the predictions of her medical team.
Julie is survived by her husband, Carl Exner, her son and daughter-in-law, Andrew and Nikki Exner of Canby, daughter and son-in-law Holly and Siositeni Niu, missionaries in Taiwan, and her four grandchildren. She also leaves behind her sister, Christy Coulibaly of Florence, OR and brother Jim Cornett of Redmond, OR.
Celebration of Julie’s life will be held on May 4, 2025 at 2 pm at Living Way Fellowship, 39300 Dubarko Rd, Sandy, OR 97055. Julie requested a joyful celebration, with colorful attire and a focus on the happy memories. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to missionary work in Taiwan. Donations can be made by check, paypal or Zelle To Holly Niu (exnerh@gmail.com)