Funeral service for Julie Badger will be held Saturday, October 16, 2021 at 11:00AM in the Emanuel Missionary Baptist Church. Visitation will be held in the mortuary on Friday, October 15, from 4:00PM-7:00PM. Interment will be held in Evergreen Cemetery.

Julie Antoinette McDuffey Badger was born April 21, 1953 in Jackson, Michigan to James Garfield McDuffey and Althea Badie McDuffey. Upon graduating with honors with honors from Parkside High Julie, already a music lover at the age of five, started formal training with piano lessons at eight years old, then followed her twin brothers into band, starting on the flute in the 7 ^th grade. Music was obviously both her gift and love.

Julie studied K-12 music education at Western Michigan University, Louisiana State University at New Orleans, and the University of North Florida (UNF). During undergraduate studies, she was also an enrolled member of the Florida Junior College (FJC) band, as UNF was still developing its band program. Friendships Julie made in the FJC bands are still strong today, some even playing with Julie in the First Coast Wind Symphony. She was Principal Flute, past soloist and past board member with the First Coast Wind Symphony (charter member of 31 years), flutist with Windscapes woodwind quintet, as well as Principal Flute and past soloist with the Civic Orchestra of Jacksonville.

She was an active member of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in downtown Jacksonville, where she was Principal Flute on their DVD production of Handel's Messiah. She served as a member of both the First Impressions Ministry and Senior Adult Ministry.

While teaching in the Clay County public schools, Julie earned a Master of Administration & Supervision degree from the University of North Florida. She spent her entire career with the Clay County district, where she held the high school positions of Advanced Placement music theory teacher, band and choral director, dean of students, assistant principal (elementary, middle and high school), and elementary school principal. In this position, Julie was the first African American female principal in Clay County since desegregation. In 1994, she was the recipient of Clay County's Ida B. Wells Distinguished Minority Educator Award. She was also inducted into Phi Delta Kappa.

In October 2019, her family funded the endowment of the Principal Flute Chair. The Julie McDuffey Badger Endowed Chair is in honor of Julie as a charter member of the First Coast Wind Symphony. Julie exemplified dedicated commitment to musical artistry and to the ongoing success of the First Coast Wind Symphony. She served as Principal Flute for the greater number of those years and continued in this role until her passing.

Preceded in death by her parents, and youngest son, Brian L. Badger.

Julie is survived by her husband of 43 years, Dr. Solomon L. Badger, III; sons, Cal W. Walton (Veronica), Roosevelt Holmes, Dr. L. Michael Badger (Maddelyne), Royce Boddie Badger (Wilma); grandchildren, Marcus, Cal III, Brian, Javan, Tara, Alana, Royce, Bryan, Montana, Bryce, Alexis, and Adrian; brothers, James Freeland McDuffey and Joseph Franklin McDuffey (Jocelyn); niece, Laura Lavender; uncle, Peter Badie, Jr.; first cousin, Ronald Johnson; and a host of other relatives and many friends.

Join the service via livestream at the link provided below

https://youtu.be/nVh1rwN1WB4