JULEEN THOMPSON

September 8, 1940 - May 5, 2021

Juleen Marguerite Thompson, 80, passed away after a nine month battle with an infection in San Diego, California on May 5.

She was mother to Michelle Sphonix-Rust of San Diego, to stepdaughters Heather Wilson of San Francisco and Hillary Young of Denver, Benji her beloved dog, and three cats, Franky, Pepper and Penny.

She loved her rose garden, reading and walking by the ocean. Juleen never met a stranger, all were friends from the moment she met them.

A teacher for more than 40 years, she taught children in grades 2 through 8. For the past 33 years she taught in Poway at Garden Road Elementary School, most recently she taught 2 nd grade, sharing her love for reading with the little ones. She retired in 2004. She loved it when former students would approach her in check-out lanes and elsewhere and tell her she had been their favorite teacher. And that happened often.

For the last 25 years, she also sold real estate. She recently said that she was best as a buyer's agent and could find a purple polka dot house if that's what a buyer wanted.

Juleen was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Michael and Margaret Zales. At 16, while a high school student at St. Augustine Academy in Cleveland, she entered the Catholic order of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine. After high school she graduated from St. John's College in Cleveland in 1960 and later earned a graduate degree from San Diego State.  As Sister Michael Ann, she taught at various schools in the Cleveland area and then served God at the Parmadale Orphanage, often working with children who had been abused. To this day, she remains friends with some of the children from Parmadale. One such former student remembers how he liked to throw snowballs at her head to try to knock off her veil. She left the convent after more than 11 years and shortly thereafter moved to San Diego.

Juleen is survived by Michelle, son-in-law Enguerran, stepdaughters Heather and Hillary, and brother Michael "Jack" Zales and his family.

Juleen was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Richard Thompson.

A celebration of her life will be held Aug. 7, 2021 with a 10 a.m. Mass at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Old Town San Diego.