Michael Tingley

Is it possible to capture the magic of Julie in a single story? I would suggest that her liberal use of her favorite fucking word was a metaphor for her unbridled passion for the world and all the enthusiasm that she had for it and for all of us for whom she was a cheerleader.

My wife Ellen and I moved to Portland in 1993 and met Julie soon afterward. We worked at Boora Architects and she was housed in our office making magic with her organization, Portland Arts & Lectures, due to the invitation of her dear friend Pat Harrington. She was like no one else I had ever met. Open, warm, irreverent, challenging, encouraging. For Ellen and I, that manifested itself in so many amazing acts of generosity, unexpected gifts, literal and metaphorical. Artworks, books, advice and so many compliments. If you were ever feeling down, the electric energy of Julie was the perfect antidote. We crossed paths often and she never failed to make each and every interaction memorable. From chance encounters on the street to long dinners and so many shared events.

She changed Portland with her unbridled commitment to be a force for good in the world. We were all changed by having her in our lives, dare I say even those who never had the good fortune of knowing her and I have literally never known Portland without her.