Pat Harrington
There have been so many beautiful, hilariously funny and poignant tributes and stories shared about beloved Julie. While genuinely well grounded she was seemingly larger than life. I first met this force of nature in the early days when she was producing the PAL lecture series at the 1st Congregational Church and I was running the Performing Arts Center. Her move to the Schnitzer Concert Hall proved to be a watershed moment for PAL, allowing her to expand her singular vision and mission for this exceptional organization. The devoted supporters and season ticket holders grew exponentially, and Julie became a beacon of cultural identity for the City.
But to those of us at the PCPA who had the privilege of working with Julie, she was far more than simply a valued tenant. She brought joy, refreshing honesty, and a courageous spirit to all our encounters. She was smart and elegant, and never hesitated to be anything but her authentic self, always. Even when, in her mind, circumstances expressly called for an F-bomb, which was most of the time!
My absolute favorite times with Julie were when we got together with noted local writer Brian Doyle at Huber's for lunch. This was a long-standing, twice-a-year gathering, and we always ordered the same food. We would quickly catch up about family and work, and then dive into whatever topics were on people's minds. Usually, I would pose some inane leading question or posit some stupid theory or idea, and then sit back and watch quietly with wonderous awe as Julie and Brian would riff unabashedly. While there was unwavering deep respect and love for each other, Julie would let her hair down and enthusiastically joust verbally with Brian for the next 1 1/2 hours. It was a tutorial in unfiltered, absolute fun! The hard surfaces and high ceilings at Huber's undoubtedly picked up some choice Julie phrases, the raucous laughter and the ridicule tossed back and forth. But somehow, we kept being welcomed back. The time spent watching her in action allowed me to marvel at her insatiable curiosity, intellectual acumen, immense literary knowledge, and fundamental care and yearning for friendship and camaraderie.
She was a relentless human connector who made us all better people and brought our community closer together. Julie, may your spirit truly live on. Fuckin‘ A!