OBITUARY: Former Mila Elementary School Special Ed Teacher Julia Riddick Johnston Belton, 97, Passed Away Sept. 19

Was Teacher of the Year for developing new communication tools for special needs children

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Julia Riddick Johnston Belton passed away peacefully at The Brennity Assisted Living in Melbourne, Florida on September 19, 2024, at the age of 97.

Julia was born and raised in Beckley, West Virginia. She graduated #1 in her class from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, Virginia, where she received a B.A. in Chemistry. After college, she worked for DuPont Chemicals Company.

She married Leslie Belton in Virginia and later the family moved to Brevard County, Florida where they raised three sons (Tom, Dick, & Harry).

She also taught Special Education at Mila Elementary School in Merritt Island, where she received a Teacher of the Year Award for developing new communication tools for special needs children.

Julia’s personal passions were education, dancing, swimming, shell collecting, New Orleans Jazz music, and traveling. She loved New Orleans, Sanibel Island, and the Florida Keys.

She helped found Christ Episcopal Church (formerly Hope Episcopal), where she served on the Altar Guild.

Julia will be lovingly remembered by her sons Richard Belton (Dorothy), Harry Belton, daughter-in-law Charlotte Belton, granddaughter Kelley Jackson, step-granddaughter Christina Bosley, great grandchildren Maeve and Gavin Jackson, Janessa and Lucas Bosley, and Jayden Batista. She also left behind numerous friends at The Brennity at Melbourne.

She was preceded in death by her parents Charles Marshall and Julia Elizabeth Johnston, her husbands Leslie Belton and Joseph Burkhalter, her son Thomas Belton, and her sister Elizabeth (Betty Marshall) Bashore Sray.

A Celebration of her Life will take place at Christ Episcopal Church, 190 Interlachen Rd., Melbourne, Florida, on Saturday, November 2, 2024 at 11 a.m., followed by an Ashes Interment Ceremony in the church memorial garden.

Memorial contributions may be made to Christ Episcopal Church in Melbourne, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Cocoa, VITAS Healthcare/Hospice of Melbourne, or Samaritan’s Purse.

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