Julie Willardson Owen returned to Our Heavenly Father on June 8, 2000 when her two-year struggle with cancer came to a conclusion.
She was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on August 21, l969 to Glen and Marjorie Willardson. As a child, Julie enjoyed performing. She starred in television commercials, plays, and motion pictures. Julie was also Miss Teen Sandy and a runner-up in the Miss Teen Utah pageant in 1986. Julie began high school at Brighton, but she transferred to Alta before her graduation in 1987.She attended college at Brigham Young University, where she majored in communications. There she met her eternal sweetheart, David Owen, during her freshman year. Julie wrote him weekly while he served as a missionary for two years in Guatemala. Following his return, they were married in the Salt Lake Temple on May 22, 1991. The strongest motivating force in Julie's life was love for her family.
She worked tirelessly to provide for their every need while her husband worked long hours through medical school at Ohio State University and residency in Ohio and Salt Lake City.
She enjoyed interior design and was always eager to create projects and crafts to decorate the walls of her home. She transformed modest student dwellings into sanctuaries of love and peace. Julie was early in the pregnancy of her second daughter when she was diagnosed with cancer, but she chose to delay treatment until the pregnancy was far enough along for her child to have a successful delivery.
Julie is survived by her husband, David; two daughters, Rachel (5 yrs) and Rebekah (20 mo); two brothers, Gary and Ray; two sisters, Tami and Kristie; and her parents, Glen and Marjorie.
All who knew Julie loved her, and she leaves behind friends throughout the country.
Funeral services will be held on Tues, June 13th at 12 at the Granite South Stake Center, 2126 E Gyrfalcon Dr. (10000 S) in Sandy. There will be a viewing Mon. at Larkin Sunset Gardens Mortuary from 7-8:30 p.m. and Tues. at the Ward from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
A special thanks to the many volunteers, doctors, nurses, and loved ones that assisted with Julie's care.