And now Jules, as she's known to most, has been nominated in the Lifetime Achievement category of the Pride of New Zealand Awards for her dedication as a social worker in Hamilton.
"It started from a very colourful upbringing ... going through a lot of crap really, right up until the time I got married and then being deserted, me and the three kids. I was left in a very vulnerable position.
"In 1970, when I had my first baby out of wedlock when it was very unacceptable, everything I went through ... going to Winz offices and being treated really badly, really disrespectfully, I had trust issues, didn't get the schooling I should have. I knew I was stuffing my life up."
But it's those experiences that Jules says position her well working with women today.
"I've walked it and so you sit with the women, with this knowing. I did a degree in surviving sexual abuse, how it permeates your whole life."
Because of her background Jules decided she wanted to do a Maori counselling course at polytech.
"It was the right place to address my past.
"People gravitate to that mahi (work) for a reason and that's when I first brought out what's been sitting in the dark. And it was so refreshing and liberating to just bring it out and see there is no shame because I was a child."
Once Jules had done her diploma in Maori counselling, she decided to move towards social work, and then in 2009 she got her degree.
"It was amazing, because I didn't even get through third from. When I was at intermediate, I remember a teaching pulling me out to the cloak room and saying 'have you thought about what you want to do in the future? Have you thought about teaching?'. She must have seen potential that I didn't see because I was just riding the waves at the time."
Jules' first job was in Maori mental health.
"I didn't want to do that initially. For three years I was there but it shattered all my perceptions and my fears and I just got to love the tangata whaiora in there. I had a deeper understanding of the shoes that they walk in."
Jules has been with Family Works - formerly James Family - for 10 years now. She's a social/family worker and her role is a busy one.
Family Works operates under Presbyterian Support and offers a range of social work and counselling services in communities throughout New Zealand.
"I do the Ministry of Justice contracts, new ones. I run the Women Against Violence programme which is a safety programme connected to the Ministry of Justice contracts. And there's the Restore programme for children who have witnessed and experienced domestic violence."
Jules is also involved with a new initiative called Out of Gate (OoG), working with women who have been released from prison who have served terms less than two years.
"I help the women integrate back into the community. I work with them to get the money going ... going into Winz, getting ID sorted, a birth certificate, getting in to education or training, addressing drug or alcohol problems if they have them and getting them into accommodation.
"They're often quite isolated in terms of support, having sometimes lost contact with their family while they were inside."
Jules says she particularly loves the OoG work "because every one is like a box of chocolates . . . you never know what you're going to get".
"I've learnt so much from the women who come out of there. I get educated around about things like P. I know about marijuana, God knows I've been there myself years ago but P, I've no idea about that. So the best ones to learn from are the ones who've been there.
"It's frightening too. They talk about how they can stay up for days but when they crash they crash and if they've got little ones, they have to fend for themselves."
Jules says while her work involves following protocols, ticking boxes, it's much more than that.
"For me it's the one on one with the women, where you have the opportunity to talk. To just sit and listen to them because a lot [of social workers] don't."
She says many organisations focus on moving people through systems. And while Jules understands the need for paper trails, she sees her clients as people, not numbers.
"Just sitting and listening is highly underrated because that's when you can build rapport. They can sniff you out if you're real. You can go there and words can tumble out of your mouth or you can sit there, with your heart, and just let them speak. I think back to the times when I didn't have that support and needed it.
"We work too systematically. It's like 'she's transient, she needs this, tick that box'. But we're not addressing the unseen hurts ... what's behind that transient life ... the drug taking. I went through all that, boozing, the drugs, gangs, I've been through it all. But so have a lot of other people. In a way I'm glad for it. You just gotta be real with the women. They know when you're bullshit.
"And I'm not shy to challenge them either. I can go into a home and she'll say 'oh Jules, we need some food' and I'll say 'I can see a lot of butts in that ashtray - you can't eat that!'. It's real talk. It's not bullshit. You sort of feel the ones that can handle it though. You can't be ruthless.
"I love this work. I can go home and feel really good. Or not. Like it's a Friday and you've been to visit someone and Winz is closed and they've got no food and you see a little one around mum's legs and he's crying and hungry."
It's not unusual for Jules to return later. "I couldn't sleep if I knew [the kids were hungry]. I'd go home and see what's in the freezer - a loaf of bread and some mince or sausages, a packet of Weetbix to tide them over. But it's not charitable either. I don't want to takahi (trample) on their mana.
"I just say 'I've got this bed or chairs that have been in the shed for ages. I'll bring them over if you think you'd use them'. It's not being a charity case - no one wants that."
While Jules' dedication to the community means she often returns home feeling worn out, she still makes an effort to spend time with whanau.
"I'll probably do this job 'til I get sick. You've got all this energy to give to people and when you get home you take your own for granted. There's nothing left. It's about being mindful of that and giving them attention at home too."
Jules talks proudly of her family.
"I've got a de facto partner of 37 years. Because my first marriage was so crap I refused to marry again!" she laughs.
She's a mum to Lisa, 45, Ariana, 43, and Chas, 41. Anton would be 33 this year, and Ebony is 24.
"We whangai'd Anton ... he died two years ago. And I adopted my sister's girl because she was going to have an abortion. I've got two great grandchildren and 12 moko. They're all good kids but they're all over the place - Australia and what not."
At 62, Jules jokes it's that bit harder to get out of bed in the mornings. But she's got plenty to still contribute.
"This is a great place to work. I've come in here and they've grown me here. They do good mahi here... the focus is on the safety of children. I like supporting the women. They're the ones behind the kids, they're the ones who need strengthening."
And it's seeing women blossom that keeps her going. "I love what I do. Not so much the paperwork, that's crap. But the rest, I love it."
Pride of New Zealand nominations are open until June 14. To nominate someone, see www.prideofnzawards.co.nz.
