Julia "Julie" Lobotsky

Julia (Julie) Lobotsky, born July 28, 1923, passed away peacefully on August 30, 2025, at the remarkable age of 102.

Julie was born and raised in Rhinebeck, the daughter of Mary (Stetz) Lobotsky and John Lobotsky Sr. She grew up on the family farm, affectionately called Wonderland, alongside her siblings Nettie (Lobotsky) Brehm, Walter Lobotsky, and John Lobotsky Jr., all of whom predeceased her. Life on the farm gave her a love of nature and family that never left her. Julie often delighted relatives and friends with vivid, funny, and tender stories about her childhood at Wonderland and about the family she cherished so deeply.

She graduated as valedictorian from Rhinebeck Central School in 1939 and went on to Keuka College, where she earned her B.S. in biology and chemistry, graduating magna cum laude as salutatorian in 1943. She continued her studies at the University of Rochester, receiving an M.S. in Physiology in 1946. In 2009, she was thrilled to receive an Honorary Doctorate from Keuka College.

Julie’s professional life was devoted to science and education. She served as a teaching and research assistant at Syracuse University School of Medicine and the State University of New York Upstate Medical Center. In 1962, she joined the Worcester Foundation for Experimental Biology as a biochemist, later moving to the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), where she guided groundbreaking research in reproductive biology and endocrinology. Her work resulted in more than 30 peer-reviewed publications, editorship of international scientific newsletters, and leadership on numerous national committees. Julie’s contributions were recognized with many honors, including the Endocrine Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Society for the Study of Reproduction.

Although Julie’s career was filled with accomplishment, she never lost her humility, generosity, or curiosity. She loved mentoring younger scientists and was admired not just for her brilliance, but for her empathy and encouragement. She believed, and strived to live by, what one of her mentors told her: that part of her purpose was to raise others on her shoulders so they could see further and reach higher.

After retiring in 1991, Julie continued to live a full and curious life. She became a docent at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., shared her love of travel, especially her trip to China and bead collecting with the Bead Society, and received further honors from her alma maters. Her greatest joy, however, was her family. Julie doted on her many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and even great-great-nieces and nephews, who always found in her a keen listener, a source of wisdom, and a teller of unforgettable family stories.

Julie will be laid to rest in the Rhinebeck Cemetery, beside her beloved siblings. The Lobotsky family extends heartfelt gratitude to her devoted aides, especially her personal aide, Joyce, and the team at Hudson Valley Hospice for their care and kindness. Thanks also to the Holiday Manor at Woodside, in Poughkeepsie, NY, where she spent her last year of life.

Graveside services will be in the old section of the Rhinebeck Cemetery on Saturday September 20 at 1 pm. 

 Those wishing to honor her memory may do so with a donation to Hudson Valley Hospice or Red Hook Responds.

Arrangements under the direction of the Dapson-Chestney Funeral Home, Rhinebeck, NY. 

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