Obituary List

Julie Marie Fredrickson, 67, passed away peacefully at home Friday, September 8, 2023. Born July 14, 1956, in Columbus, Ohio to Janet Lou Starkey and Laurence Michael Ruck, Julie lived in Tallahassee for most of her adult life. She earned her Bachelor’s (SUNY Fredonia) and Master’s (Syracuse University) degrees in Music Education and worked as a music teacher and educator in Leon County for close to 30 years. Any child who wanted to be in her chorus was included, and all participated in the extravagant musicals she directed. Not only did she influence the lives of thousands of children, she also mentored many student teachers as well as staff members. She helped open the School of Arts and Sciences in 1999 and taught multi-grade classes of 3rd-5th graders. She served as SAS’s Principal from 2011 until her retirement in 2016 and played a major part in the opening of the second campus of SAS-C. Julie always had a love for baking, sewing and crafting, especially cross-stitch, and in retirement she developed a passion for quilting. With the groups Sew for Hope and Quilters Unlimited, she quilted hundreds of handmade quilts for the Hope Community, “Quilts of Valor” for veterans, and for friends and family. Her love of nature was expressed through the vibrant flower gardens she created with her wife, Mary, and their trips to distant habitats. An avid reader, she was always in a book club; she loved dancing, took ballroom classes for years, and even competed in Western Ballroom competitions. With her ever-active mind, she could always be counted on to remember long ago dates and to know just how to organize a space or a project. Julie had a rare combination of lightning-fast wit and soul-deep kindness and generosity. With her even-keel countenance, she put people at ease. Generous with her time, talents and resources, she noticed situations and helped friends and family wherever she could. Julie is survived by her wife, Mary DeHoff, her sister, Linda Ruck (Columbus, OH) and a very large clan of loving in-laws. A Celebration of Life (casual, colorful attire) will be held September 29, 2023, at 4:00 p.m., in the Carriage House of Goodwood Museum & Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation (fcsf.org) or Big Bend Hospice, Inc. (bigbendhospice.org).

Arrangements trusted to ICS Cremation and Funeral Home, 357 NW Wilks Lane Lake City, FL 32055. 386-752-3436-www.icsfuneralservices.com