Chapter 19:

Running and Playing

Kendall and Hannah stayed with me the week after Julie’s passing.  Kendall was given additional time off by his boss, a great kindness from a total stranger to me.  They helped me with all the funeral preparations, and kept me strong for a week.  

This post is part-one of Julie's life sketch.  It was written and presented by her brother, Steve Hobbs at her funeral.  It was edited further by me for posting.  Part two of her life sketch, “To Beautiful Mama” is posted in the next chapter.

Running and Playing, Life Sketch Part 1:

by Steve Hobbs, Dec 16, 2017

Julie Lavon Hobbs was born April 23rd 1969 in the LDS Hospital the child of Billie Lee Hobbs and Joy Adrene Felsted Cotterell Hobbs. She had an older sister Connie, and three older brothers, Dad, Steve and Mike. After 10 years of not having children, Julie was a surprise blessing to the family. Dan, Julie’s oldest brother was 16 and was at the hospital with Dad when Doctor Smith came out of the delivery door room and made the big announcement, "Its a girl!”

In a personal history Julie wrote, “Mom recalls how happy she was that I was a girl. She thought for sure that I would be a boy and did not want to get her hopes up. She had 3 boys previously. Since all of the boys were 3 years apart, she had been through 9 years of cub scouts as a den mother. Mom had Dad were undecided between naming this new baby Jennifer or Julie. They chose Julie because they say that I was just a jewel to their family. Dad nicknamed me Pud (short for pudding). My brother Dan called me ‘squirt’. He said I was a little squirt.”

Julie was a very happy baby and very easy to take care of, but very sensitive and tender hearted. If anyone raised their voices, Julie she would start to cry. Mom and dad and the three boys would read to her often and she learned at a young age to love books. Julie carried that legacy on to her own children.

Bill loved his baby girl. Julie wrote, “He would always tuck me into bed at night. At the same time each evening he would talk to me and read stories. I don't remember my father missing a single night of putting me to sleep.”  Bill would often make Julie a milkshake and bring it down to her bed, something that never happened with his boys.

Of growing up with brothers Julie wrote, “Steve, Mike and Dan spent many hours playing catch, dolls, and reading books with me. My brothers were constantly getting me to grow up. My brothers didn't let me learn how to crawl the normal way. They didn't lay me on my stomach.” Julie never did crawl, she just scooted on her bottom until she could walk.

Julie loved bugs and spiders. She treated them like little people and would build houses for them. She was always fascinated when someone would show her another insect. Her interest in bugs dwindled as one of them bit her.

Julie was like a little mother to everything. She loved to play with tiny dolls and she would often sing to them and play with them, and she cherished her collection of Madam Alexander dolls. One Christmas Julie got a doll she called Raydie. As the family opened presents, they realized Julie was gone from the living room. They found her in the bathroom with her new baby bathing it in the toilet and applying shampoo and baby powder. She also had the perfume ready for her baby. Julie loved to dress her dog Christi up in her dolls clothes. That dog was so patient and loved Julie. She was always trying to be a mother and nurturer.

Julie had fond memories of Christmas parties at Stoddard Mead Ford where Bill worked. She wrote, “They always were so good to the employees kids. I remember I was afraid of Santa because of his big beard. Each year at these parties, Santa would come and give every child a present and a big stocking full of candy, fruit, and nuts. I would always eat the candy and leave the fruit until last. By the time I would go to eat the fruit, it was always rotten.”

Julie was babysat quit often by an older lady across the street that all the children loved. Her name was Vona Richman. They all called her aunt Vona. Aunt Vona had a special little table and chair that only Julie could sit on. Her favorite meal she would make was cooked cabbage with butter on it and Vienna sausages. Julie’s middle name Lavon was after Aunt Vona.

Julie loved that her Mom would always sew Julie pretty dresses and matching dresses for her dolls. Julie wrote, “I loved that Mom did that for me.” Julie really liked to dress up and look fancy.

Bill and Joy loved to backpack and Julie learned to love the mountains and outdoors as a young child. Her brother Steve wrote, “I remember her first trip to the base of mount Heyburn at Redfish lake. Me and mike and Dan would take turns packing Julie on the top of our back packs.” They backpacked a lot as a family and with friends.

Visiting Yellowstone with the family for square dancing trips was one of Julie’s favorite childhood memories. She and a family would explore around old faithful and loved laying in the pine needles and dirt, and making make believe homes, while their parent were dancing.

In elementary school at A.H bush Julie received the Hope of America Award. In 7 grade at Eagle Rock Jr. High she was class secretary. In the 8th grade she ran for president and was elected. Julie was so outgoing that she decided to run for cheerleader in 9th grade and made the team. She loved cheering and was a cheerleader all through high school. Her senior year was elected as Cheer Queen at Skyline High School. She loved yelling at games and pep assemblies.

Julie was always going to school dances and never missed a dance. She entered in her journal all the dances she went to and the boys she went with and what they did. She dated and went to dances from boys at rival school and from Skyline. At church dances Julie would watch for the boys being rejected and she would go and ask them to dance.

Julie was a talented pianist.  She was very good at sight reading and was often asked to accompany groups or solo singers.  In went on to teach all of her children to play, and was their first teacher.

Julie was not the type to seek out friends in the popular crowd. She had many friends from all walks of life. A high school friend of Julie’s recently wrote this that describes the type of person Julie is:

"Tonight my heart is broken and I've shed a few tears of sadness, Julie Hobbs Hatch was the kindest person I knew. She was a cheerleader and was very popular at school, but she never let her popularity get in the way. She would talk to everyone including those of us who were not in the "in crowd". Julie wanted everyone to be happy and she always had a smile on her face. She was a pure example of the love of Christ. She was always finding service to do and ways to help those in need. She never looked down at me or anyone for that matter – she accepted us for who we were. She had such a strong testimony of the Gospel and was an example to all who knew her.”

Thank you Julie for your example of how we should live our lives. Thank you for your zest for life, the precious moments you have blessed us all with. We will remember you often as we run and play, whenever we are in the mountains. You are our Hero. We love you and will see you again.