Julie (Huang) Lee

Julie is survived by her loving husband John, her daughter Leyenda, her son Julian, her three grandchildren (Maia, Chloë and Tiano), daughter-in-law Jennifer Mah and son-in-law Christopher Paré. Julie was a wonderful mother, wife and human being who lived out loud and without fear. With her open heart and curious mind, Julie was an inspiration to us one and all.

An avid dancer with rainbow-coloured hair who cruised the streets of Montreal on her custom motorcycle, to know Julie was pure joy. She made people feel good because she was kind, compassionate and unapologetically honest. She cared, deeply, and will be missed by those of us who were lucky enough to be in her orbit.

Julie was a passionate defender of animals and their welfare, fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves. She always stood up for what was right while never being so proud as to not own up to her own shortcomings. She would also never hesitate to let you know when she was right – which was pretty much most of the time. And we loved her all the more for it.

Most importantly, Julie was always grateful for the life she had and the people who brightened her days. She lived with purpose and passion, savouring every flavour and moment as if it were a gift.

Julie loved to laugh and had a wicked sense of humour. Once she accidentally ingested wild mushrooms that were toxic and had to be rushed to the hospital. In bed, the doctor scolded her: “why did you do that?!” to which she replied, faintly: “They… were… so… delicious.” We laughed about it for years.

Though she could be silly, she was also very sharp and perceptive. Most of all, Julie was a beautiful person – a rainbow who brought unimaginable colour and happiness into our lives. The pain of losing her is unbearable, but we can all find solace in having known such an exceptional soul.