Imagine a great friend and you imagine her

By Amy Carmichael

Close your eyes and picture her: a petite girl (Sagittarius) with short, jet-black hair sitting across from you entirely aware and engaged.

Julie Violet Williamson. Her look was dramatic, if understated. She was never seen without that signature dark wine lip and matching eye colour against her paper-white skin. Beautiful smile ready to break into laughter. Ears perked up listening to all your worries and hopes. Mouth pouring forth words of encouragement and light-hearted banter. “Hey dude! What’s going on?” was her ever-cheerful greeting outside the Rogers building. Imagine a truly great friend, and you imagine her.

The girl was up for anything. Running around in monsoon-style snowstorms. Staying up all night. But she was in her element at the breakfast table, already up for hours armed with a newspaper and black coffee.

We’ve eaten with her, and made note of her preference for white-coloured foods: milk, fettuccine alfredo, egg salad on sandwich bread, plain bagels with cream cheese. She laughed when teased about it. We laughed too and let the moment pass without regarding the monumental luck of having such a fabulous playmate. We love Julie.

Born December 12, 1977, passed away November 19, 2001. Julie will be forever in the hears of her parents, Ed and Carolyn, her sister Lisa, grandparents Bill and Eileen Williamson and Margaret Wilson.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the Julie Violet Williamson Memorial Bursary which will be awarded annually to a student in the journalism program at Ryerson University. Donations may be made through the School of Journalism.