Julie Laufer

Julie R. Laufer, of Waukesha, died Tuesday, January 6, 2009 at Waukesha Memorial Hospital at the age of 41, after successfully overcoming cancer.  She was born on February 16, 1967 in South Dakota, the daughter of Norman Bitz, Sr. and LaReta Wellman.  Julie married Eric Cook on July 14, 2007 in Waukesha.  After attending Carroll College, Julie went on to study natural health and obtained many certifications in the field.  She owned her own natural health practice in the Waukesha area, and held numerous educational seminars on the topic of natural health throughout the country, in Mexico, and in Europe.  Natural health was not just an occupation for Julie, it was her passion and mission in life.  She used every spare minute to gain as much knowledge as possible about health to help her many clients and family.  Julie always found time to make her boys a priority, and also enjoyed spending time running and horseback riding, which included competitive endurance racing.  Julie will be sadly missed by her husband, Eric Cook of Waukesha; sons, Jared Laufer and Caleb Laufer of Waukesha; her parents, Norman Bitz of New Berlin and LaReta Keppert of Waukesha; brothers:  Tom (Anne) Bitz of Sussex, and Daniel Bitz of Waukesha; mother-in-law, Alice Cook of Waukesha; brothers and sisters-in-law: Debra Bitz of South Dakota, Michael (Mary) Cook of Wenatchee, WA, Dr. David (Elizabeth) Cook of Wenatchee, WA, Paul (Lin) Cook of Cumming, Georgia, Janet (Jay) Nixon of Racine, and Ellen (Ken) Vandenberg of Brookfield, nieces and nephews: Katherine, Allison, Nicole, Jordan, and Cody Bitz, Jessica Cook, James (Kalena) Cook, April (Brent) Holland, Rose (Drew) Vanderhoff, Jacob, Clara, and Timothy Cook, Alex and Cait Cook, Dana, Carly, and Lauren Nixon, Russell, Michael, Benjamin Vandenberg, and Benjamin and Sierra Cook.  She is preceded in death by her brother, Norman Bitz, Jr., and her father-in-law, Arnold Cook.  A celebration of Julie’s life will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2009 at the E.B. Shurts Building, 810 W. College Ave., Waukesha from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM.   Memorials may be made to the family for her sons.  For further information, please call Randle-Dable Funeral, Cremation and Preplanning Services at (262) 547-4035, or go to www.waukeshafunerals.com to leave an on-line tribute.