This is difficult …
… those of you who have been followers of my blog have grown to know my close knit group of QBees (Quilt Buddies). It is with deep sadness … that I share this ... Julie and her middle son lost their lives in the mudslide that occurred a week ago in Washington.
We QBees are an eclectic group of characters … each adding an element of fun, craziness and hilarity!
Julie's sense of humor was exceptional … she literally kept us in stitches … laughing until we hurt all over!
My troop of QBees … we know how to enjoy a good meal!
Guess that is pretty obvious as most of our photos include food! ;-) Julie was a great cook … but in my humble opinion, she made the best pies on the planet! Seriously … her crust was perfect! She was famous for her apple pie … and would not share the recipe … I should have wrestled it out of her! Truth be told … if we had wrestled, she would have won!
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| Mississippi Headwaters |
I loved traveling with Julie! Her sense of wonder and adventure made every trip extra enjoyable!
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| Mississippi Cruise in St. Paul |
She loved new experiences and liked learning about things unfamiliar to her. Her intellect and curiosity were infectious.
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| Quilt shop loot! |
Yep … she made everything fun … so you can imagine shopping with her.
We would enter a shop … and find all sorts of things the other should buy! We never needed sales assistance … we were always selling … to one another. Much of the fabric and patterns I own are because Julie convinced me I needed them! Shop owners were always happy to have us walk through the door together!
We grew together in multiple ways over the past 30 years. Quilting is what brought us together, but our friendship was really about so much more. We shared all the things that matter … the joys and sorrows of parenting … our concerns for our community … marriage and careers … solving all of life's problems with sincerity and humor.
When I was in the process of developing the dillydally lifestyle … Julie was an important source of support! She immediately "got it" and did everything she could to encourage me in my efforts. We often talked about how friends should serve as cheerleaders for one another … I am so grateful for her friendship. I love that she shared in the enthusiasm for my dillydally silliness!
Two years ago Julie and her husband realized their dream of retiring and moving south to live near their grandchildren. And returned to spend summers here at their cabin. A dream they had turned into reality!
My heart is broken … I am consumed with sorrow. Initially I clung to hope … and eventually I wrapped myself in my faith as I work to accept the unimaginable.
I'm not ready to say good-bye … I treasure the memories … but we had intended to create new ones … acceptance is difficult.
As much as I ache, my heart bleeds most for her family. They lost everything. Her surviving sons have lost their mother and brother. Her grandchildren have lost their grandmother and uncle. Her husband has lost his soul-mate, life partner, best friend … his wife and a son. My grief is nothing in comparison … please keep them in your thoughts and prayers. So many are suffering from this natural disaster.
My sign off has added meaning now …
Do what you love. Do dillydally!
Mrs. DillyDally
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend Julie.
ReplyDeleteMy condolences.
Take care.
Marilyn
Your picture story of the Qbees and Julie is a beautiful tribute. May your happy memories help you through this very sad time
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about the loss of your friend. You have written a wonderful tribute to her. She will be greatly missed by family and friends. Rosemary Kukec
ReplyDeleteMy dear, dear friend. I, too, have been holding it together by clinging to the fading hope of a miracle. Your tribute to our friend is beautiful. Holding you, and all the QBees in my heart. ❤️
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your friend. She looks and sounds like a good person to dilly dally with. Prayers for her and her son and their family. So sad. Thanks for sharing the pictures and telling us about how special she was.
ReplyDeleteOh, Mrs. D., I'm so sorry to hear of your friend's (and her son) sudden, tragic passing. May you, her family, and friends, in your despair, feel our Father's arms holding you. Those same arms have lifted Julie and her son to Him. May you feel His Calm, His Love, His Strength while you are nestled close to Him. PJ
ReplyDeleteThankyou for sharing such a beautiful tribute to Julie. I wasn't part of that group but Julie helped me learn so much about sewing as you all did. I am so thankful she was in my life.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your gift Mrs Dilly Dally..... for expressing "in words" and "pictures" how much Julie was a part of our QBee lives, an incredible Wife, Mom, Grandma , neighbor, friend and cheerleader she will be sorely missed...... by me.... and all of the people and lives she touched...Once our hearts have healed a bit , we will have to help her spirit live on, through the sharing of our happy memories. Thanks again for the lovely tribute to Julie. Diane
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to Julie. My heart hurts so much, she was a great friend to me and a 2nd mom to my boys. It was because of Julie that I got into sewing, she was my cheerleader and biggest fan while I muddled my way through...I can't tell you how many times she came out and helped me rethread my needle on the machine...always so patient. Thanks again.
ReplyDeleteThank you so, so much for your loving tribute to Julie. Our cabin trips, our shop-hop trips and personal quilting memories with Julie will last forever.... Terry
ReplyDeleteOh Terry, I have been following this tragedy through friends in Cordova and from here in Homer. Hoping, hoping, hoping. Thank you for your beautiful tribute. It was such an honor to get to know her and Adam, and all their family. Her beautiful spirit will live on in her friends, the beauty she put into the world, and her family.
ReplyDeleteYour tribute is so loving that it conjures up how Julie was.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss.
margieinmaryland
Julie sounds like so much fun and a wonderful friend. I'm so, so sorry she is gone from your life. I lost my BFF on Jan 3 to an unexpected heart attach. It' so hard to let them go. Prayers for you and her remaining family......so sad.
ReplyDeleteFor fifteen years bumping in to Julie every summer while home visiting my folks was a little highlight of my trip. She really had the best sense of humor and the greatest laugh. My heart goes out to Jerry & Garret and everyone else for losing her and Adam. Thanks for sharing this....
ReplyDeleteThankyou so very much for this beautiful tribute to such a beautiful friend. I feel so very blessed to be able to call her my dear friend. Thankyou for helping me to also accept this even a little more. I have had a very heavy heart also since this has happened, but it also has brought back so many wonderful memories and giggles that her and I shared . Thankyou again for reminding me of more.
ReplyDeleteI pray daily for Peace to Jerry and the boys and to all who are suffering due to this horrible disaster. God Bless them all. <3 XOXOXO always , Sue
I am so sorry for the loss of this wonderful women and her son. My prayers are for the family that they may find comfort. Thank you for this beautiful tribute.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful tribute to an amazing woman
ReplyDeleteSuch sad news. While I never met Julie personally, I felt like I knew her and the other QBees through your posts. Have been thinking about you all day. I am so sorry for your loss...
ReplyDeleteI'm so very sorry for your loss. My heart aches for her family and friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting these photos of Julie. I knew her when we were teenagers-her middle brother was my boyfriend and I loved that entire family. We kept in touch throughout the years and the one thing I can say is that Julie had that infectious smile everytime I would see her. Of course, being the only girl with three brothers, she was tough, but still sweet. So, my sweet sister Julie, rest well with Adam and Mom and Dad. I love you.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I haven't seen Julie since we bought her car before she moved to Alaska. The Urton family was wonderful neighbors growing up with my husband Vince in CA. You showed us what an awesome woman she became. What a loss for the Urton Bros. And her husband, sons, and grandchildren. Gone too soon, way too soon.
ReplyDeleteI am so saddend to hear of your loss. Your tribute to your dear friend Julie was amazing. Your thoughts, the ability to express your sadness, but also Julie's spirit was most touching. Fittingly so, I think the most amazing picture is the last one you posted of her walking away with her back towards your camera. My sympathy to Julie's family on the loss of her life and her son. My sympathy to your QBee's in Alaska as well.
ReplyDeleteLove and prayers,
Maureen
The tribute you have done for you friend is wonderful. She sounds like she was a great friend to you & your group. Living in Cordova at one time I know how special friendships are. I now live in WA. & have been praying for the people in Oso. It's such a tragic thing. I'm sorry for your loss, but keep those memories & she will still be with you. Prayers to you, her family & all the other families & friends from Oso. God bless.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear this about Julie and her son. The grief her family and friends feel surely can be tempered by your touching tribute about Julie. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend. I will keep you and Julie's family in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to believe they are really gone, this was a lovely tribute, thank you
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss, your friend sounded like an amazing person. Very sad to hear about her and her son. Prayers and blessings to you and their families.
ReplyDeleteMy heart aches for all of you ... but you really have been able to capture her spirit!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tribute to a lovely lady! She certainly will be missed by all. Heaven gained a great lady.
ReplyDeleteThis was a wonderful tribute to Julie. I'm so sorry for your loss. I met her in November, here in Idaho when she drove over to a quilt retreat with Sharon McHone (mabye you know her as well). She was just here again for another retreat the first weekend in March, two weeks before the slide. She added so much fun and laughter and poetry to quilt camp! She called herself my twin as we shared a name. I was glad to have known her.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is full of sadness for her husband, children and for all who knew her.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your wonderful memories of Julie. Our quilting community is a family and all feel the effects of losing her. I didn't know Julie personally, but you have brought her into my life and made me feel like I did. I love her wonderful smile and she just looks like she would be a blast to be around. Was she planning to be at Sister's with you all next year? It would have been wonderful to meet her.
ReplyDeleteI am also sad for all that were left behind. Her husband, children, grandchildren and friends. I hope everyone will eventually be able to move forward and never forget the wonderful memories. My prayers are with you as you mourn the lose of your ear friend. Julie and Adam were lifted up in prayer by my church yesterday. Love to you Mrs. DillyDally <3
So sorry to hear of this tragic loss!
ReplyDeleteDear Mrs. DIlly Dally,
ReplyDeleteThank you for our words and photos of Julie. You put it all so eloquently and a tribute to the joy and smile she brought to us as she came in the shop with her deliveries, or to just come shopping. She always made me laugh. I loved reading and seeing your special group and the special bond that will never go away. Thank you for helping all of us say goodbye through your words.
Love and sympathies to the Qb's and to her family.
Dotty
Such sad and tragic news. We just don't know what's around the corner. My thoughts and prayers go out to you and the family grieving for a very special lady and her son. Blessings, Trills
ReplyDeleteSuch a terrible tragedy, that has affected so many people. I am so sorry for your loss. You have written a fine tribute to your friend. Thoughts and prayers for everyone.
ReplyDeleteGrace
Beautiful tribute to Julie, great pics of her and her Qbees, she was a great person i miss her so much. My mom and I made our first Quilt together with Julie she pushed and pushed for me to come and I finally showed with my momma and walla.... we made a Quilt all with Julies help. I wouldnt have this one and only Quilt if it wasnt for her. So Thank U so much Julie for what u gave me. (R.I.P. JULIE,ADAM) I will miss seeing ur smiling face everyday with a package for me. LOL LOL
ReplyDeleteShe was a great friend to everyone........thank u for posting these pics, we need to see her smiling face again..........always remember to tell the ones u luv how much u luv them and how important they r to u,, cause u never know what will happen tmrw.......praying for all
ReplyDelete