Auburn community to honor life and legacy of Dr. Julie Ann Gard Schnuelle

OPELIKA, Ala. (WRBL) – The Auburn community is preparing to celebrate the life of Dr. Julie Ann Gard Schnuelle, a retired Auburn University professor and highly respected veterinarian, who was tragically taken from this life on Saturday, September 6, 2025. She was 59 years old.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 13, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Opelika. A visitation period will follow the service until 3:30 p.m. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Jeffcoat-Trant Funeral Home of Opelika.

A life of faith, family, and service

Born in 1966 in Morristown, New Jersey, to Gary Gard and Elizabeth Moody, Julie’s journey spanned across the country before eventually planting roots in Auburn. She spent her early childhood in the Pacific Northwest, then North Carolina, before moving with her family to Memphis, Tennessee, where she attended Harding Academy. She began college at Harding University in Arkansas and went on to graduate from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1988 with a degree in biology.

Julie married her first husband, Mike Waldrop, in 1987, and together they raised two children, Michael and Natalie. The family moved to Auburn in 1992, where Julie began the next chapter of her academic career.

While raising her children, Julie pursued veterinary medicine at Auburn University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, graduating with honors in 1996. She went on to earn her board certification in theriogenology (animal reproduction) in 2002 and her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Auburn in 2003.

Her career was marked by excellence as a professor of clinical sciences, researcher, mentor, and caregiver. She was awarded the title of professor emerita when she retired from Auburn University in 2021. After retirement, she continued serving animals and farmers as part of the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, safeguarding animal health across Alabama, Mississippi, and beyond.

A family’s love story

Julie met her husband, Archie Schnuelle, while jogging in Kiesel Park. The connection blossomed quickly, and the two were married in 2015. With their marriage, Julie became a stepmother to Archie’s children — Megan, Tyler, and Sarah Jo — and embraced her blended family with the same compassion she extended to her students, friends, and animals.

Her family remembers her unwavering love, joyous laughter, and strong spirit. They say her greatest legacy was not only in her professional accomplishments but in the love she gave so freely to those around her.

Julie is survived by her husband Archie; her children, Michael and Natalie Waldrop; stepchildren Megan Schnuelle, Tyler (Brandee) Schnuelle, and Sarah Jo (Garret) Truett; her parents, Gary (Christina) Gard and Elizabeth Moody; siblings Tim (Lisa) Gard, Dolores (John) Reuther, Jason (Amy) Gard, and stepsister Karla (Shawn) McQuade; along with nieces, nephews, extended family, and countless friends.

Honoring her legacy

In recognition of her lifelong devotion to teaching and mentoring, Auburn University has established the Julie Gard Schnuelle Annual Scholarship Fund at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The scholarship will support students who share Julie’s passion for animals and her commitment to veterinary medicine.

Those who wish to honor her legacy may contribute to the scholarship fund through Auburn University’s official giving site: Julie Gard Schnuelle Annual Scholarship Fund.

https://give.auburn.edu/campaigns/dr-julie-gard-schnuelle-annual-scholarship/?appeal_id=68c03ff-b2a773fcb5f07a922