Julia Mae (Farmer) Chesley, 85 of Temple Hills, Maryland.

Julia's Journey

Julia Mae Chesley, affectionately known as "Granny", was born Sunday, August 3,1939 in Washington, DC to Francis Makle and Julia Olivia Farmer.

She was raised in Dentsville, Maryland by her grandparents Joseph and Lucy Farmer. She lost her mother at the tender age of three. Washington, DC remained a part of her, as her two aunts, Dorothy Hawkins and Elva Chapman, who lived there, stepped in to help raise her and love her as she grew up. She also had one half sister, Mary Makle-Hagens.

She was educated in the Charles County Public Schools System. In her early years she attended LaPlata Elementary School, and later, attended Bel Alton High School. She was very athletic, and she passed all her athleticism onto her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. In high school Julia Mae was a majorette. She also played volleyball and basketball. She graduated from Bel Alton High School, in June 1957.

On October 5,1957 she married her high school sweetheart, soul mate, and military man, Thomas "Tom" Orlands Chesley Jr. Tom served in the U.S Armed Forces from 1953-1955, being released with an Honorable Discharge. This union blessed them with eight children: Linda Marie, Phyllis Ann, Thomas Orlands, James Orsben, Patricia Diane, Renee Cecilia, Debra Lynn, and Kevin Alexander.

They were truly a match made in heaven and enjoyed their life together. Julia liked to dance, and she enjoyed playing cards and listening to music.  While growing up, there was always a house full of family, friends and lots of good times. The best times were at "The Big House", a two-story house down the road from Simpson's Store. Family members from Washington DC would often come down on Thursday and stay through the weekend.

Her favorite pastimes included Sunday outings to the baseball games. Saturdays were spent enjoying family and friends and preparing food to take to those ball games. Foods like fried chicken, potato salad, and macaroni salad with cucumbers and tomatoes. Some of her favorite teams were Bryantown, Elks Home, and Wicomico. In her home, everyone went to church on Sunday mornings, before heading to those baseball games.

Julia Loved the Lord Jesus Christ and accepted Him as her Lord and Savior, at a young age. Every Sunday morning, they would gather the children together and get them ready and go to church. She was a lifelong member of St. Mary's Newport Catholic Church. She was a very committed and dedicated member of her church, and she set a great example for her children and grandchildren. She also loved attending the annual church picnics and preparing good food to take along.

Julia Mae was a confident, hard-working woman who loved her family. She worked as a short order cook at the Diner in La Plata, Maryland.

She instilled in her children and grandchildren the value of hard work, and she passed on a strong work ethic to each of them early in life. Each of them would take turns going to work with her and assisting with cleaning tables and washing dishes. She also worked at the Truckstop in Newburg, Maryland, and her customers always got confirmation of her being at work before placing their order. They all loved her, and she loved them and served their food with love. She worked at the Truckstop in Newburg until her retirement, and as expected, they hated to see her go.

Julia Mae loved playing cards. She and her friends, along with their spouses, got together and formed a club, called the "Flamingo's." They would take turns gathering at each of their homes to play cards and enjoy family, friends, and some good food. In those days, this was a way that families supplemented their income; a big help when you're raising a large family. The kids had a great time also; they enjoyed being with family and friends.

She loved to talk about each of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and their accomplishments. She could also recall everyone's birthday, birthplace, and birth times with ease.  She loved to show off her sharp memory by constantly telling anyone who would listen to her, everything about her family.

She loved them all, but she had a special bond with Barry and Cedric, as they lived with their grandmother while growing up. She would always say they kept her going and kept her busy. If anyone dared to ask, those were her boys (point blank, period).

She loved family gatherings and playing games at Christmas time with everyone. A family favorite was a game called the "White Elephant". Everything was good, as long as you did not take the gift that she really wanted. We had so much fun and there was so much love. When the family was all together and celebrating or just hanging out, she would have so much joy watching her grandson, Shaun, show off his musical talents at family functions. Julia Mae loved to talk, she would smile and talk and talk and talk, she sat in the chair facing the door so she could see everyone coming in. Whenever anyone entered the room, you were it, she had a story to tell and she would tell it all.

Julia has always kept a clean house, and she was so proud of her home.  In the apartment building where she lived, whenever there were new tenants moving into the building, her apartment was used as the model, and she was so proud. Julia Mae and all her friends in the building where she lived was always going somewhere or doing something in the activity room. They loved Julia Mae, and she will be missed dearly.

Julia had a heart of gold; she would do anything for anyone and everyone. Always going the extra mile. She would always say, "Whatever I can do for you, just let me know."

On Sunday morning February 2, 2025, God called his angel, Julia Mae, home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas O. Chesley Jr.; sons, Kevin Alexander and Thomas Orlands; grandson, Qawaun Darae; parents, Francis Makle and Julia Farmer; grandparents, Joseph and Lucy Farmer; half-sister, Mary Makle Hagens; aunts, Dorothy Hawkins, and Elva Chapman; father and mother-in-law, Mary Agnes and Thomas O. Chesley; brothers-in-law, Michael Chesley, Jerome Chesley, Marion Chesley, Theadore Baker, Charles Edward Butler, Robert Cole Sr., Henry Marsh, and Thomas Muschette; sisters-in-law, Sarah Baker, Viola Cole, and Bertha Butler.

Julia Mae leaves to cherish her loving memories with her children, Linda Chesley, Phyllis Chesley, James Chesley "Frank", Patricia Briscoe (Michael), Renee Brown (Reginald) and Debra Holton (Dean); 18 grandchildren, Keyonna Brown, Kiya Chesley, Barry Banks, Cedric Chesley, Kevin Chesley (Tia), Kendra Chesley, Corey Chesley, Shaun Chesley, Shannon Chesley, Frankie Chesley, Cameron Chesley, Jadea Roanoke, Deon Briscoe (Shivana), Shavon Briscoe, Michael Briscoe Jr. (Kayla), Markeya Smith (Jeremy), Quentin Holton and Juwan Holton; 23 great grandchildren, Bryan Banks, Jalen Brown, Corey Chesley, Iyanna Chesley, Kamoni Chesley, Christian Chesley, Tremaine Chesley, Talayah Chesley, Kyle Chesley, Tayjhan Chesley, Tashaun Chesley, Izaiah Hair, Elijah Henry, Isaiah Henry, Simone Hembry, Sydney Smith, Summer Smith, Austin Smith, Daijor Chesley, Makayla Holton, Riyen Chesley, Casyn Chesley, and Ja'vierre Holton; brother-in-law, James Chesley; sisters-in-law, Arline Marsh, Theresa Muschette, Marion Chesley, Delores Chesley, Gwen Chesley and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends who truly loved her.

"Julia Mae" will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved her.

Viewing, 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, February 18, 2025 until time of the Celebration of Life, 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.  Interment, St. Mary's Catholic Church Cemetery, 11555 St. Mary's Church Road, Charlotte Hall (Newport), Maryland 20622.

On Tuesday, February 18, 2025  at 11:00 a.m., please click on the link below to live stream the service. Please make sure the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).The streaming will begin after the final family viewing. Therefore, there may be a delay before the service appears on the screen. Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream