Julie went to be with her Lord in her sleep on Sunday, September 13, 2026. She had been fighting Paget’s disease for a year. Julie was born on September 5, 1941, in South Haven, Michigan born to William and Eulene (Spillers) Robinson. She was the middle child of three having an older brother and a younger sister. The family moved to Kalamazoo when their dad took a job at the Sheriff’s Department.

Julie graduated high school at Kalamazoo Central in 1959. She hated math classes and swore that she would not ever have a job that used math. Julie was a waitress at the Canary Restaurant downtown and the Westnedge Dairy Queen. Then she worked at First National Bank in the Proof department…math.

In high school she met Ted Esman, the love of her life. They were married on November 16,1963, after Ted returned from the Army. In 1965, they welcomed their daughter, Wendy. Ted built a home in Portage, Michigan and they moved in when Wendy was one month old. Sixteen months later they were blessed with a son, Michael. Julie returned to the bank when Mike was four.

Julie stayed at the bank through all the name changes and banking innovations like ATMs. Julie retired after 30 years from PNC. She could not stand doing nothing all day. She went in search of her next adventure. She had always wanted an ice cream shop that served “Grant’s” hotdogs so she bought Treat Street in Oakland Drive neighborhood and threw her soul into it. “Making memories” were not just words, they were what drove her. She later opened Catering by Treat Street and Treat Street II in Portage.

After Ted had his second heart attack, the stores were sold. Still not liking having nothing to do she began cashiering and food demonstrations at Gordon Food Service in Portage and rolling silverware at Bob Evan’s on Westnedge. Julie was also caregiver for several of her friends.

Everywhere she went people would stop her and ask where they knew her from or if she was the “Treat Street Lady”. There are stories about grandparents taking kids to have ice cream and even a couple who stopped in between their wedding ceremony and the reception. It made her so incredibly happy.

Julie was preceded in death by her parents, William and Eulene (Spillers) Robinson; her brother, John and his wife Joan; and nephew, Greg Robinson; also many members of Ted’s family. Her beloved Ted passed on December 5, 2023, from cancer after 60 years of marriage.

She is survived by her daughter, Wendy (David) Olson and son, Michael (Stephanie) Esman as well as five grandchildren; her sister, Jacqueline (Ron) VandeStreek; many, many nieces and nephews; and countless friends.