From the first moment I met you Julie, I thought of you as my friend. I loved the stories of your adventures in life, the singing particularly. Even when I was far away we kept in touch through letters and phone calls and no matter how long in between, we always picked up exactly where we left off. I miss you and you are always in my prayers.

I was just thinking of Grandma tonight as I rifled around in my wallet looking for some toonies to make a kid really happy. I learned that move from her ;) I miss you, Gram! :)

I first met Julie in 1971 when I worked with her in the Marine Building on the elevators. I come from England so was a very long way from home and she became "my mum in Canada". She was a lovely lady and I will miss her and her long newsy letters. 
Pat East (England)

My Auntie Julie & her sisters were up island country girls from pioneer stock living in the shadow of the Forbidden Plateau.  She was the one though who shed that quiet life for the big city.  She embraced her employment operating the elevators at Vancouver's iconic Marine Building where beautiful women were hired specifically to compliment the building's splendor.  The work gave her the opportunity to rub shoulders with the city's rich & famous, and this she loved.  In describing her job, she would always laugh "It has its ups and downs!"

She combined family with a full social calendar and lots of travel.  She was my tall, glamorous auntie with her signature flame-colored hair and the sophisticated wardrobe.  What I actually admired most about her though was her boundless energy & enthusiasm for life.  Nothing kept her down.  Well into her eighties she was out & about to this luncheon or that or on a Tsawwassen to Schwartz Bay ferry to see her Island connections.  From Italy to Hawaii to points closer to home, she loved her travels. I often told her I wanted to be just like her in my golden years.

I looked forward to receiving her annual Christmas card, always large & sparkly, always accompanied by a seven or eight page letter.  Full of her exploits & news of the family, it typically began with a scene-setting description of her sitting at a table next to a window, cup of tea in hand, watching a little bird bobbing across the branches.  The country girl endured.

I will miss my Auntie Julie.  My love & prayers to my cousins Susan & Sharon & their families as they celebrate her life.

Adele Paterson Gurrola (San Diego, California)

Auntie Julie was such a fun Aunt. I will always have very fond memories of her. She will be missed by all of the Paterson Family.

To me she was mom.  to the rest of you she was Julie or Julia.  I was thinking about her life and never thought about these things before, but she was just a teenager when she was singing with the band, only 20 when she married, and had a baby by the time she was 22.  That seems so young to me and kudos to her for pulling it off!  I know we will see her again as her new address is heaven and we will meet there one day.  i know she has shed that old tent and now has a new body that won't betray her.  She is running with Jesus like a young girl again!

Julie was always fun at our turkey crowd gathering. She was always ready to play games and sing songs. She will be missed.
Warren Smith (Surrey, BC)

I still cannot believe Julie has gone. Over the years Julie and I went out for lunches at lots of nice restaurants, Horizons ,Earls, White Spot, Greek and more.  It was just her and I until the last few years when four ladies Julie,
Miranda, Olive and myself joined the Gadabouts of Burnaby and went on bus trips to different restaurants for a few hours outing. We were called the Irving Street Gang. Lately a few of us in the building went to Uncle Willies.
Julie will be missed at Irving by all her friends.  Val Meyer

OBITUARY

Julia Laing

4 July, 1928 – 10 March, 2016

First Memorial Funeral Services

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