Anne Castleton

I was shocked to realize Julie had passed. Just last week, I was thinking I need to call her and see what trouble she's stirring up now! Now that I've read so many of these accounts, I realize that the way Julie sucked me into her milieu was absolutely her norm.

I met Julie at Mercy Corps. I knew her name and reputation from Literary Arts. She right away pulled me into her office at the Action Center, demanded to know my story, and peppered me with question, interruptions, and expletives - enough to shock this little Mormon girl!

Early on she was hosting some big wig from a NYC creative genus institute and she invited me to join the special luncheon in the Willamette Room at MC HQ. The other MC folks were mystified at why I was there but Julie insisted I was there to ask good questions and contribute.

Her genius is that she always made you feel like you were the center of her universe and were so smart and so talented and could do whatever....Even when I could see that was her MO, it worked its magic on me.

I could call her out of the blue and know she would answer, "Anne, how the fuck are you?" I am so grateful that our paths crossed at MC, Julie taught me what that phrase "Force of Nature" really meant.