Julie Ann Azar, 59, of Williston, passed away on December 23, 2022 at Mercy Medical Center in Williston, peacefully, surrounded by her family.

Julie Ann (Olson) Azar was born on February 19th, 1963 in Wolf Point, MT to Lawrence and Annie Olson. She was raised on her family farm in Vida, MT. There she attended Southview School and then Wolf Point High School. As the youngest of her nine siblings, she was surrounded by affection from her large family.

In 1981, she moved to Williston, ND to attend beautician school. There she met and then married the love of her life Randy Azar on April 7th, 1989. Together they would often visit her family farm in Vida. Julie and Randy were blessed with two children; first a son named Adrian in May of 1990, and then a daughter named Sarah who was Julie’s birthday present in 1995.

The love Julie received from her family was multiplied when she had children of her own. Julie’s caring personality made her an amazing mother. She worked from home so that she could care for her children and her aging parents. Throughout her life Julie was always caring and looking out for others.

Julie had a beauty salon in her home which had many dedicated clients. She made many lifelong friends through hairdressing. She enjoyed conversing with her clients and sharing stories. She was always ready to listen.

Her love also extended to animals, to both in the wild and to her pets at home. Throughout her life she had many cats and dogs, treating each as family.

In recent years, she enjoyed traveling and birdwatching with her son Adrian. They made many trips together across Montana and North Dakota, checking off all of the new places they had been.

Julie was also very fond of shopping, especially for antiques. During her travels, she loved to look around at antique stores and to reminisce about items from her past. She had a liking for vintage cake plates and glassware.

She also had a passion for home decorating. She loved to rearrange and decorate to each season, especially for holidays and parties. She enjoyed hosting gatherings and being surrounded by family and friends.

This past fall she made a once in a lifetime trip to Norway to see the country where her grandparents were from. There she was fortunate enough to visit her ancestral farm and meet her relatives that still call it home.

One year ago, she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She was a warrior to the end and didn’t let her diagnosis defeat her. She faced it bravely and made the most of her time by spending it with loved ones and sharing in new experiences. Throughout her trials, her faith remained strong, looking to God for strength.

Julie had the brightest laughter, the warmest hugs and made new friends everywhere she went. She never hesitated to reach out to others who were in need. Despite her diagnosis, she was constantly thinking of others. Her kindness inspired all of those around her.

Although Julie’s life was not as long as some, she lived deeply with the time that she had. She showed a vast devotion to her family, friends and God. Her passion for life shined incandescently which drew others into her friendship. On December 23, 2022, Julie was called to her heavenly home.

Julie is survived by her husband, Randy Azar; her children, Adrian Azar and Sarah Azar; her sisters, Ruth (Milo) Borg of Sidney MT, Norma Pawlowski of Billings MT, Edna (John) Niccolls of Spokane WA, Connie Buxbaum of Ronan MT, Jo Ann Olson of Wolf Point MT and Donna (Dennis) Torres of New Town ND; sisters-in-law, Margaret (Roger) Kalisiak, Shirley Azar and Karen Ellingson; and her many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence and Annie Olson; her brother, Robert Olson; and her sister, Diana Lawson.

Memorial Contribution