ForeverMissed
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Her Life

Family

December 10, 2014

Julia is the daughter of Frank and Rose (Swaters) Daugherty, of Anderson, Indiana.  She is survived by three brothers: Dan (Trish) Daugherty and Steve (Ellen) Daugherty, both of Anderson, Indiana, and Phil Daugherty of Indianapolis, Indiana.  She is also survived by two sisters, Terry (Bran) McFarland of River Falls, Wisconsin, and Lisa (Wayne) Combs of Greenville, Ohio.
She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.  She was preceded in death by her nephew Brandon McFarland.   

A Life Well Lived in Iowa

December 10, 2014

Julie remained in Iowa City from the time she moved there in the late 80's.  She worked for ACT as a test specialist and editor and was greatly valued both as a colleague and a friend among her many work associates.  Her attention to detail, her precision, her intelligence, problem-solving and dedication made her an invaluable asset to her workplace.

Julie had many interests and activities that filled her days and evenings.  Web design was one such talent that she put to good use as a volunteer for Hospice among other agencies, creating websites for causes she believed in and supported.

Julie was a dedicated human rights activist and was devoted to the cause of peace in the Middle East, serving as a devoted member of People for Justice in Palestine where she made many friends whom she considered extended family.  

Julie had a number of cats that were special to her during her life.  Jeep was her kitty in Chicago and died shortly after she moved to Iowa.  She was followed by Zachary, who was her faithful friend until he also departed.  She shared her life thereafter with Jeff and Ray, who were littermates and very lucky to have found a loving home with her.   

Julie was an enormous music fan, and was a devoted fan of Paul Rodgers and Here Come the Mummies, traveling some distance many times to support them and enjoy their music.  Any member of those bands would probably recognize her on sight from her enthusiastic audience attendance at their shows.  

Julie remained a voracious reader her entire life, owning thousands of books (both hard copy and Kindle).  It was rare to talk with her that she did not mention the title of the latest book she was reading.  While she would read almost anything she could get her hands on, some of her favorite authors included Marcel Proust, Charles Dickens, Anthony Trollope, Patrick O'Brian, Kurt Vonnegut, and John Irving. 

Most of all, Julie was an amazing friend to so many people.  It is particularly of note that, unlike many of us, Julie carried on friendships from each part of her life for years and years.  Julie did not enjoy or seek out superficial relationships. Once she was your friend, she was your friend for life.  She was the most dependable kind of friend...one who was there through tragedy and triumph, always shining the light on others and trumpeting their praise with pride to anyone who would listen, always standing at the ready with a shoulder to cry on, an ear to talk to, and her checkbook open to anyone in need.  

We should all be so lucky as to leave behind so many friends and family feeling lost with her departure but grateful for her having graced their lives.  
 

College Years

December 10, 2014

Julie received a Whitinger Scholarship and Presidential scholarships to attend Ball State University where she majored in actuarial science.  She had many dear friends at Botsford Residence Hall, many of whom she stayed in touch with throughout her life.  

Julie excelled, as she did in all her endeavors, in her major area of study and went on to recieve a Master's degree in it as well.  She went on to work as an actuary at Washington National Insurance Company in Evanston, Illinois.  Though she loved the city and her access to Chicago, and made many dear friends there, she felt unfulfilled by her career choice and decided to pursue her lifelong love of writing.  

She applied to the University of Iowa and fulfilled her dream of doing graduate work at the same university as two of her beloved authors, Kurt Vonnegut and John Irving.  She was accepted into the doctoral program there.   

Childhood Through Adolescence

December 10, 2014

Julie attended Lindbergh Elementary School and had Mrs. Upchurch, Mrs. Bute, Mrs. Crane, Mrs. Ray, Mrs. Johnson and Mr. Beatty (who remained her favorite teacher of all time!)
She was a star student, remembered by her teachers as unusually bright and a very self motivated learner.  She established a lifelong love/obsession with reading at an early age.  One of her favorite things in life was our weekly trips to the Bookmobile where she would check out so many books, she could barely carry them all around the block to our house.  Once there, we would go through each book, telling each other about what we were planning to read next.  Favorites of hers were: "Charlotte's Web" by EB White, "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madelyn L'Engle, "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott, and "Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell.  
Julie loved riding bikes (pretending they were horses), walking around the block and playing tag and hide and seek with the neighborhood kids.  She had a wonderful imagination and loved to play with toys, especially her marbles and plastic animals. She also loved family's annual vacation trips to Iron River, Wisconsin and Lake Ouachita, Arkansas.  
Julie spent lots of time with her record player, spinning her favorite LPs by her childhood favorites, Jim Croce and Cat Stevens.  
Julie was also an avid artist from an early age, often spending hours in her room drawing portraits and cartoons drawn from her vivid imagination.
She got involved in drama at middle school and made many friends through her high school years, when she was the faithful prompter for many productions.  She was a National Merit finalist and star student, and a favorite student of many teachers.  She especially enjoyed English class with Mr. Clark where she got to explore her love of literature and writing.