Deceased July 25, 2016
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In Memory
Julie Engelsman passed away July 25, 2016, peacefully in her home in Los Angeles, Calif., from metastatic breast cancer. Earlier that day, she opened her eyes briefly, looked into mine and asked, “Am I awake?” “Yes,” I said. “You are awake.”
Julie was the most awake person I knew for the five decades we were friends: keenly perceptive, deeply empathetic, seriously funny and exceptionally adventurous. She created her perfect career as a costume designer for film and television. Julie always said she got her professional start meticulously constructing custom outfits for her Barbie dolls as a child.
Julie and I met in kindergarten in St. Louis, Mo., and were often rivals on the playground. She changed schools in fifth grade, and we saw each other only occasionally as teenagers. One gray winter day at Amherst, we found ourselves walking toward each other on an empty quad in overcoats. It felt like a Sergio Leone movie. We started talking and never stopped.
A few years ago, she called me and said, “I found a picture of us at your wedding, and it looks like it’s you and me getting married. Let’s face it. We basically are.” Julie and I saw each other through a lot of life. When I lived with her in LA, one day she came into my room and said, “You wanna go to Nepal?” “Okay,” I said. She was down to half a lung at that point. We struggled at the back of the pack, but completed the trek.
The day after she died, a white butterfly landed on my heart and just sat. I said, “Hi Julie!” She continues to visit me, and I know many share my gratitude for having known her determination, humor, intelligence and acceptance.
Laura Scandrett ’88