Julia M. Zünd

Julia M. Zünd, 86, a longtime resident of Amherst, died peacefully Saturday the 27th of June at the Hillsborough County Nursing Home. Born in 1928 in a small alpine village in Switzerland, Julia lived an adventurous life learning several languages throughout her life including German, Swiss German, French, Romansch, English and some Italian. She attended a business school in Switzerland, studied English in England and worked as an executive secretary back in Switzerland. She met her future husband during one of her travels in mid-1950 and eventually joined him in the states where they were married in Philadelphia, PA in 1957. Julia helped her husband build their successful Swiss pastry and handmade chocolate business in the late 1950s through the 1960s. The addition of their four children kept them very busy; eventually they moved to NH in 1967, where Josef, her husband, partnered with his Swiss friend Ernst Kehl and opened the successful Mile Away Restaurant in Milford, NH until 1994. Julia loved having her family around her and took great pride in her flower garden and Josef’s vegetable garden. She was always working on a new knitting project or flower arrangement or thoroughly enjoyed spending time with friends and family while drinking coffee and eating one of Josef’s pastries. She always looked forward to traveling with Josef as they frequently went to Switzerland and other places to visit family and friends. She was an active participant the Rosary Altar Society, singer in the church choir, and served in positions at St. Patrick’s Church in Milford. She often visited residents at the Milford nursing home and was involved with Easter Seals, Special Olympics, Hillsborough County Special Needs and the Merrimack Friars. She is survived by her sister, Cecelia, living in Switzerland; by her loving husband, Josef; four children and nine grandchildren, Ulrich; Joanne (Richard) Mulkey with Jesse and Amanda; Rosemarie (Ron) Edwards with Matthew, Sarah, Katherine, Rebecca and Daniel; and Heidi (Michael) Mikula with Joseph and Joyce; and numerous nieces and nephews living in Switzerland. Julia was deeply loved and will be greatly missed but her memory will brightly live on! The family would like to thank the staff at Hillsborough County Nursing Home for all their help in caring for Julia. Memorial gifts may be made to Hillsborough County Nursing Home Activities Department, Easter Seals, the SHARE program or The Catholic Church. Memorial visiting hours are on Wednesday, July 1st from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. A memorial mass will be held on Thursday at 10:00 am in St. Patrick’s Church, 34 Amherst Street, Milford, NH. Burial will follow in Meadowview Cemetery, Amherst, NH.