Julia L. Greer - Hardeman

Julia Lenore Greer-Hardeman was born May “the” 8th, 1936 to the extraordinary family of Thomas and Mary Peterson. To this union, two daughters were born Ernestine and Julia. Julia accepted Christ at an early age evidenced by her baptism in 1947 at Thompson Avenue Baptist Church. The church would later relocate to its current home of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Julia loved this church and was affectionately known as Ms. Dexter. She was President of the Young Adult choir and in her later years, she was President of the Missionary and a member of the Board of Trustees. Julia was a natural-born leader who effortlessly gained the respect of her peers. She would later use her impressive leadership skills to train others to become leaders of the church. She was a standing life-long member of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Detroit. Julia graduated from Highland Park High School in 1954 and went on to earn her Bachelors of Arts degree in Public Administration from the University of Detroit. Julia married Donald Greer in 1957 and from that union were born Dana Lynn, Darla Latrice, and Damon Todd. Both parents instilled in Dana, Darla, and Todd a strong sense of commitment to family, education, and community. Julia worked for Michigan Bell for over seventeen years. While there she became an active member of the CWA Union; ultimately, ascending to its Presidency. It was in this capacity that Julia came to the attention of the President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon. She was a guest of the First Lady, Pat Nixon and was an overnight guest at the White House. In January 1975, President Gerald Ford commissioned Julia L. Greer to become the first black female Federal Mediator. This is a position she held until her retirement in 2008. While in this role she created a conflict resolution curriculum for students. She wanted children to know there are non-violent ways to resolve issues. She also facilitated the creation of a conflict resolution curriculum for children with learning difficulty. Julia was a long-time President of the Minorities Women Network. Their objective was to empower women of color. They issued scholarships to young ladies and acknowledged Minority Men with a Man of The Year Award. In 1986 Julia married Virgil K. Hardeman this union lasted until he died in 2008. Julia departed this life on May 28, 2020, leaving to cherish her memory are her sister, Ernestine Gray; daughters, Dana and Darla; son Todd (Cheryl); stepdaughter, Gabrielle; grandchildren, Daniel, Noelle, Cameron, Nicholas, Kelsey and Alexis; and a host of nieces, nephews, and other family members and friends.