Mrs. Julia M. Parsons

Julia Parsons was a pioneering cryptologist who served in the U.S. Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services (WAVES) during WWII. Stationed in Washington, D.C., she worked in the Shark Division decoding German Enigma messages from U-boats in the North Atlantic. Her contributions remained classified for over 40 years, a testament to her dedication and discretion. In 1944 she married Army Lt. Donald Parsons in the Navy Chapel in Washington.

Julia graduated from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon) in 1942 and later earned her teaching certification and taught English at North Allegheny High School from 1964 to 1969. Following her husband’s engineering work with Westinghouse, she lived abroad in London, New York City, Japan, and Yugoslavia before settling in the Forest Hills area of Pittsburgh.

In later years, Julia shared her wartime experiences with students and veterans’ groups, receiving recognition from the Pittsburgh community, the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and during the Memorial Day concert at the U.S. Capitol. Her life and service were also featured in in Ken Burns’ project on Pittsburgh during WWII. In 2020, Forest Hills and the VBS honored her 100th birthday during the pandemic.

Julia was preceded in death by her husband Donald, who is inurned at Arlington National Cemetery, where she will also be laid to rest. She is survived by her children Bruce Parsons of Florence, SC, Margaret Breines of Norwalk, CT, and Barbara Skelton of Cambridge Springs, PA, along with eight grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by many friends who were with her until the end.

There will be a Memorial Tribute hosted by The Veterans Breakfast Club (VBC) on Thursday, June 12, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Senator John Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. To RSVP please call 412-623-9029 or email [email protected].

Donations in her memory may be made to Veterans Breakfast Club, 200 Magnolia Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15228.