Ishpeming – Juliana Marie (Nee – Hoover) Vitale, age 39 of 1790 Rosewood Ln. Ishpeming Twp. left us before her time at her home on August 28, 2010 leaving a deeply grieving family.


Juliana was born December 19, 1970 in Pittsburgh, PA the daughter of James A. and Kristina (Hahka) Hoover. She spent her childhood in Pittsburgh, and at age 8 won first place in the city wide summer reading program. Juliane played little league baseball on an all boy's team. She moved to Ishpeming from 1983-1986 where she played basketball for the Phelps Middle School and the Gwinn School district. In 1986 she moved to the east coast, residing in Wilmington, DE where she attended high school, Stamford, CT and from 1996 – 2008 in New York City which she considered home. She returned to Ishpeming in 2008 and had been working on a degree in communications and broadcasting from Northern Michigan University and had worked with Public TV Channel 13, telecasting sports for NMU.


While in New York she worked for the Law Firm of Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper and Scinto. Juliana also did some modeling, and was deeply involved in the music scene in New York, which led to her career as a DJ at the exclusive night clubs the Twilo and Sapphire. She was a devoted sports fan and adored the New York Yankees and the Pittsburgh Steelers following her teams extensively. Juliana was an excellent athlete enjoying basketball and swimming, and was a certified lifeguard. She will be fondly remembered as an adventurist and lively spirit, always willing to try something new and exciting including bungee jumping. She was extremely intelligent individual enjoying reading along with having an engineering type mind, being able to figure out electronics technology and gadgets. Juliana was a devoted mother, deeply involved in Tristan's activities at the Immaculate Conception School in New York, including coaching her son's basketball and baseball teams.


Survivors include a son Tristan J. Vitale of Ishpeming, her mother Kristina Asta of Ishpeming, a loving brother Joshua M. "Twink" Harju of Green Bay, WI, her grandmother Lorraine Contreras of Ishpeming, Aunts and uncles including Aunty Kate Hahka of Fountain, MI, William Hahka, Jonathan (Ginger) Hahka, Jaimes Contreras all of Pittsburg, and Kevin Contreras of Phoenix, AZ, several cousins, nieces and nephews along with her former in-laws – Mary & Guido Vitale of Long Island, NY. She was preceded in death by her grandfather Ray Hahka and her step-fathers – Sulo Harju and Joe Asta.


The family will greet relatives and friends from 4 until 5 pm on Thursday at the Bethel Lutheran Church. A memorial service will be held at 5:00pm on Thursday September 2, 2010 at the Bethel Lutheran Church with the Rev. Lauri O. Maki to officiate.