Ms. Julia Florea Stokes, 59, of 828 Phillips Lane, Statesville, N.C., passed away at Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, following an extended illness. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. on November 23, 1961, and was the daughter of the late Zacharia Taylor Stokes and Eileen Estelle Joseph Stokes. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a daughter, Courtney Nicole Stokes, and a sister, Sandra Pierre.

She was a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., and prior to her illness, she was employed by Jackson Hewitt as a tax preparer. She was a member of Christian Outreach of the Piedmont.

She leaves to cherish the memory of her life one son, Arnold Maurice Gaither of Prince George County, Md.; three daughters, Ashlee LaPaula Stokes, Brittany Gaither and Sydney Elizabeth Stokes, all of Statesville; two brothers, Vincent (Brenda) Stokes of Daytona, Fla., and Cyril (Miriam) Stokes of Wendell, N.C.; ten sisters, Mary Elizabeth (Jerry) Minor of Petersburg, Fla., Lauralie (Alan) Bailey of Bronx, N.Y., Vivian Stokes David of Middletown, N.Y., Cynthia (Raymond ) Hernadez of Allentown, Pa., Isabell (Nelson) Robinson of Cleveland, Ohio, Wanda (David) Ellis of Newberg, N.Y., Helen Stokes of Jersey City, N.J., Dolores (Lisandro) Jones of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Alice Emanuel of Statin Island, N.Y.; four grandchildren, Kristopher Jalon Porter, Nicholas James Porter and Alexander Julian Porter, all of Statesville, and Arnold Gaither Jr. of Maryland; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, the Christian Outreach Church Family, and friends.

Celebration of Life Services will be conducted Saturday, October 16, 2021, at 1 p.m. Pastor Glen Usry will officiate and burial will follow in the Oakwood Cemetery in Statesville, N.C.

Visit the Book of Memories for Ms. Stokes at www.rutledgeandbigham.com.

Rutledge and Bigham Funeral Home is serving the family.