Julie Harrison

Juli Harrison, age 70, of Centerville, Utah, unexpectedly passed away after a short illness on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2026, surrounded by family and friends who cherished her deeply.

She was born on January 27, 1955, in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, to Milford and Aileen Jensen; she was the oldest of five children. She graduated from Bountiful High School and carried with her sharp wit, independence, and determination throughout her life.

Her professional career spanned decades and many jobs, reflecting her strong work ethic and

adaptability, and included years in accounting at Eaton-Kenway, Zero Enclosures, and CenturyLink within design services.

But it was at one of her first jobs, at The Fifth Amendment, a local watering hole in Bountiful, checking IDs because she was too young to serve, which she considered a temporary inconvenience, and where her life would be forever changed.

It was there that she met her eternal flame, Shirl Harrison, co-owner of The Fifth and husband of 35 years. Shirl and Juli loved traveling, taking random dirt roads just to see where they ended up. Whether it was multiple flat tires while going over Butterfield Canyon, getting snowed in while traveling through Colorado at Christmas, or getting a flat tire with no spare in the middle of the Nevada desert, the two cherished these adventures. After retiring, she quickly realized that retirement didn’t quite suit her, and she eventually returned to work part-time at the Utah Transit Authority, where she continued to work until her passing.

Her greatest joys in life came from time spent with her son Tee Jay, family, and friends. She was often described as a true spitfire, an unmovable force with the most genuine heart.

“Wine Wednesdays” with her sister Carol and close friends was a treasured tradition, evenings filled with laughter, planning the next ‘girls’ trip’, part therapy session, and part strategic planning for the next project.

She was an avid reader and collector, always with a book nearby. She loved movies and live theater,cheered passionately for the Utah Utes, traveled extensively, and had a fondness for games of chance and the thrill they brought.

Adventure was simply part of who Juli was. It wasn’t unusual for Juli, Shirl, and Tee Jay to jump in the car and travel hundreds of miles along backroads just to try a restaurant they’d heard about, only to turn around and head home the same day. Anytime the lottery started to get sizable, she would grab a friend and head to the nearest border town for a ticket or two. Never a big winner, but it was more about the journey, and the enjoyment had along the way.

She made friends everywhere she went, at home and abroad, in Paris, Germany, Mexico, Greece, Hawaii, and countless destinations across the United States. By the end of any conversation, she had a gift for making you feel not only like her best friend but also truly seen. Stubborn and set in her ways, but boy, she was relatable and always reliable.

After retiring in 2020, Juli split her time between her home in Utah and her townhouse in Mesquite, Nevada, which she shared with her sister, creating yet another chapter filled with laughter, abundance,and cherished memories.

She will be remembered and greatly missed for her love, her care, her conversations, her passionate spirit, her stubbornness, her unwavering opinions, and... for her laugh. But mostly for the way she showed up for the people she loved and the way she made them feel.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Shirl Harrison, her parents, Milford and Aileen Jensen, and her sister-in-law, Brenda Jensen.

She is survived by her loving son, Tee Jay Harrison; her siblings Monte Jensen, Blair Jensen

(Wendy), Carol Morrow (Jerry), and Neal Jensen (Tiffany); and her stepchildren Lisa Barber

(Gary), Kurt Harrison (Wendy), Layne Harrison (Kim), Briant Harrison (Cari), and Lance

Harrison (Rebecca).

A private family service will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to honor Juli in a way she would appreciate—please consider donating to your local homeless shelter and by living life to its fullest; playing the extra dollar at the slots, booking that trip, hugging your loved ones a little bit longer, and smiling while you do - in her memory.