Video Messages
Lifelong friends remember early years
Training with Potatoes from SCIMED with Michelle (Jackson) Loher
Terri Grant remembers the best of times on the job with Julie.
Anita tells the stories from early SCIMED days through caring for family members, including the dogs, of course.
OCEANS: You call me out on the waters… where feet may fail. And there I’ll find you in mystery… in oceans deep, my faith will stand.
There is a whole contingent of women who are better mothers, better friends, and better professionals because of the lessons you have taught us and the experiences you have shared with us. We've been inspired to be better than we thought we could be.
Tricia Conway
Thank you to Julie and family, for the opportunity to meet you, learn about and with you, and observe your awesome courage looking mystery in the face. May you feel surrounded by love in all ways, always.
Sue Haddow
One of many memories I have with Julie is when we were in a book club with several other women.
Julie decided the book club ladies should go for a weekend at Sugar Lake, which we did. So much fun and laughter.
A wonderful and memorable weekend.
Anita Milnes
I always call Julie 'BW' for Brilliant Woman. We were attending a particularly contentious meeting and she suggested a wise compromise. Things were settled unanimously. I turned to my wife, Wanda, and whispered, "Who's that brilliant woman?"
Doug Lien
I was visiting family in Maryland when I received a text from my neighbor showing Julie and Brad planting Hostas by the side of my house!!! Those Hostas are still there and each year is a reminder of their love and kindness.
Anita Milnes
Julie always had wonderful food at Sugar Lake.
The link below is to some of her favorites in a book we put together. Enjoy and Remember!
Gwynne Bobich
Gwynne Bobich
So sorry for the loss of this great woman.
I worked with Julie many years ago and will be forever grateful for all she taught me. She supported me through both work and private events. Heaven gained a star.
Michelle Girsch
Our homeowner's association was dealing with a few sticky issues so I could use a good business head to chat with. Miss Julie, you were out tending the neighborhood's most beautiful floral display. I stopped. You gave me support and encouragement and then looked at me and said, "just kick ass and take names. Now I have to get back to my flowers." Kath and I miss you, Julie, and send you love.
Gib Willson
Julie and I became friends in middle school and I spent a lot of time at the Forhan’s house. She taught me how to have fun and her laugh was infectious. So many fun high school times and memorable trips to Siesta Key. We went to different colleges, but both became Delta Gammas. We lost touch for a while but reconnected when our daughters were DG’s at Miami. Julie was unforgettable and I am forever grateful for our friendship….So Julie, whenever I see your smiling face, I have to smile myself!
Kelly McNamara Meyer
Being relative newcomers to northern Minnesota and Sugarbrooke Lane, Susan and I missed large parts of your life, pre PSP. But, we heard bits, like “BW”—Brilliant Woman stories, from Doug. We heard about some of your athletic accomplishments from Gwynne. And we heard pieces from Brad about your business life and skills, your strength and positivity in dealing with your illness, a lot of it while house painting with Brad, listening to tunes. All good stuff. I am sure Brad and the rest of your family are proud of your accomplishments and proud of the strengths you have modeled during your life’s journey. God bless you.
Rick/Susan Gustafson
Hi Julie.
Thinking of you every day. I'm sure I can't fully appreciate the challenges you face. But hopefully everyone's thoughts and prayers add a little sweetness to each day. On March 30th, we visited the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth. As you are probably aware, I am not a very religious person. But while visiting the Church, which is incredibly impressive, I did think of you and recite a short prayer.
Mike Berman
Being relative newcomers to northern Minnesota and Sugarbrooke Lane, Susan and I missed large parts of your life, pre PSP. But, we heard bits, like “BW”—Brilliant Woman stories, from Doug. We heard about some of your athletic accomplishments from Gwynne. And we heard pieces from Brad about your business life and skills, your strength and positivity in dealing with your illness, a lot of it while house painting with Brad, listening to tunes. All good stuff. I am sure Brad and the rest of your family are proud of your accomplishments and proud of the strengths you have modeled during your life’s journey. God bless you.
Rick/Susan Gustafson
I was fortunate to cross paths with Julie during our college days at Ohio State where we affectionately referred to her as Forhan. We lived in the beautiful Delta Gamma house on 15th Ave. We all built a solid bond of friendship that would last a life time. Even in those early days, Forhan's strong academic ability, her tenacious drive and ambition along with her leadership skills were evident. She excelled at everything. And what was even more impressive is that she was kind, caring and a whole lot of fun! She truly did light up a room and many of us were drawn to her.
Therefore it did not surprise me to see her rock it as an "Adult", both professionally and personally. She used this same skill set to deal with PSP. Her will to live, her fighting spirit, strength and resilience were something difficult to describe. I was more impressed with this gutsy friend of mine after each visit. My memories of Forhan will stay with me forever. I hope and pray she is dancing in heaven, just like we did on the beer-splattered basements of the fraternity houses at Ohio State. May her memory be a blessing. LITB my beautiful friend and O-H!!
Lori Long Root
I’m so so very sorry for the loss of Julie…. Your family has been in my prayers during this difficult journey and I know she is now fully restored to her perfect self, dancing with those skinny legs up in Heaven.
Julie, or “Forhan” as she was lovingly called, was my Delta Gamma Pledge Trainer her senior year at Ohio State. As an incoming freshman, she brought our 36 pledges under her wing and was filled with contagious enthusiasm. Her positive affirmation was constant. She was always telling us how funny/smart/darling we were. She led by example and never missed a TG party or Chapter meeting or any DG event and always welcomed us to participate in shenanigans living in the sorority house. She demonstrated what true sisterhood was like, rooted in love and support for one another.
She was quick to laugh, had a zest for life, and a leader of the pack. She was smart and driven, yet playful and silly.
I’ll never forget her husky voice,
her bright blue eyes, her giant smile. And I’ll never ever forget how she made me feel as a new Freshman: loved, mentored, accepted, adored…. And I will forever miss hearing her squeal of enthusiasm when she would shout her nickname for me: “Wimmel!!”
I had not seen Forhan for at least a decade since our DG Reunion up at her lake house in Minnesota. But a few months ago, another DG friend (Lori Jo!) and I visited her after the disease began to take a toll on her body… but Forhan was still there alright. She had trouble speaking but could whisper and when my friend and I could not recall a memory from college, she was right there correcting us or typing things out on her iPad. She never skipped a beat. We shared some great stories!
At one point my friend and I were transferring her from her wheel chair to her very hi-tech chair and we accidentally let her down into the chair with a big boom and we all laughed, especially Forhan at what idiots we were nearly breaking the chair. Same sense of humor, same funny outlook on life…. That’s the worst part… knowing…. But she handled her journey with such positive fight and inspired those around her.
She has always been this way, illness or not…. She has always been the bright light in the room, the first to say yes, the one we follow…. Because she had an incredible gift to make you feel special. For this I am eternally grateful to have shared her friendship and I’ll never ever forget her…. RIP Forhan… with love, Wimmel xoxox
The bookclub that lasted over a decade...
We all looked forward to when you would join us, Julie, because the discussions always went deeper than the topics in the book and of course, you always had a list of at least five more book recommendations.
Starting top left: Anita, Michelle, Linda, Julie, Jane, Nancy, Mary, and Erin
The Tree of Life
When Brad called and asked me to write what I would call a “love letter” to Julie, he connected our friendship with the love of music with a touch of spirituality. After deep contemplation and musings with dear friends I felt the most beautiful way to share my love for Julie with that of the growth of a tree.
Photo Gallery
