LUDLOW, Vt. – On the evening of March 29, the light was taken from Julie, after a brief but very brave battle with cancer.
Julie Anne was born March 2, 1958, at Edwards Air Force Base, to mother Jenny and Airman Gordon, who was on assignment to plan and survey the new runways that would not only carry military aircraft, but also space shuttles.
Two years later, Julie, her parents, and her new little brother packed up the family station wagon and drove from Southern California all the way back home to Essex, Vt. Julie attended Essex schools and graduated from the University of Vermont with an accounting degree.
She moved to Hartford, Conn., to work as a corporate auditor for one of the big firms, Arthur Young. She continued her financial career, culminating as chief financial officer for several public and private corporations. She also held positions on several boards of directors, contributing to the success of various companies, and was finance director for Vail’s Northeast resorts. Ever a champion of education and knowledge, she was a founding board member of the Expeditionary School at Black River. She was presently serving as an owner/partner at Mary Davis Real Estate Company in Ludlow, Vt.
Julie met and fell in love with George Abraham. They were married on November 2, 1992, and later had two wonderful girls, Jamie Elizabeth and Casey Lynn. They built a beautiful home in Avon, Conn., where they made many special memories.
Summers were spent at Coral Sands Beach in Westbrook, Conn., and on the family boat, Yes Dear. When the girls were in middle school, the Abraham family moved full time to Westbrook and built another stunning home at Island View Beach. She always had a keen eye for fashion, art, and interior design.
Winters were spent skiing and racing at Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, Vt. The countless ski and beach families have been such an important part of Julie’s life, and the special memories will sustain us all going forward.
Julie loved to travel and experience new places. Some of the highlights include family trips to France, Italy, England, Spain, New Zealand, Australia, and Greece; sailing through the British Virgin Islands; and skiing in Colorado, Utah, and California.
Julie and George relocated full time to Ludlow, Vt., and completed yet another spectacular home renovation overlooking Okemo Mountain. Many friends and family enjoyed delicious meals, card games, and evenings around their gorgeous fire pit.
Always active, she was an avid runner who completed many road races. She enjoyed hiking the Vermont mountains and walking the beaches of Westbrook, Conn.
She was a mom to many, from soccer teams to ski racing teammates. She could easily calculate ski race points in her head, and was famous for making garlic bread at pasta dinners the night before a soccer game.
She loved to get her hands dirty designing and maintaining the beautiful landscaping at all of her homes. No weed was safe, and all her flowers and trees were lovingly cared for.
More important than all her professional achievements was the fact that she made her family and her friends the center of her life. She was generous, warm, and welcoming, funny, easy to talk to, supportive, and so loving. She was the sunshine that gave life to so many.
Words cannot express the deep sorrow of losing her light. Her young, strong, healthy, and beautiful spirit will live on in all the lives she touched, and she will be thought of always.
A celebration of life will be held at Water’s Edge Resort in Westbrook, Conn., on Sunday, April 19, from 12-3 p.m., open to all. A celebration of life in Vermont will occur later in the summer, with details to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Julie’s honor to the Okemo Mountain School via the Julie Abraham Scholarship Fund, at www.okemomountainschool.org/donate. Alternatively, the Black River Good Neighbor Services (BRGNS) organization is a local charity serving the Okemo Valley. Checks can be made out to BRGNS, with the memo indicating “In honor of Julie Abraham,” and mailed to Black River Good Neighbor Services, 37B Main Street, Ludlow, VT 05149. For more information, please visit www.brgn.org.