Julie Anne Phillips, the daughter of Harry Freeman and Mable Thompson Freeman, was born September 5,1934 in Royal Oak, MI the youngest of seven children. Known as Jules to her family, with four older brothers she was a bit of a tomboy. She loved riding bikes, playing baseball and her dog Brownie. The family moved to Anaheim CA when she was 15. After graduating high school she worked in a local jewelry store and purchased her first car, a Model T Ford, complete with rumble seat. Julie married Jim Norgard in1955 in Anaheim and they had two children: Janet Hay (Steve) and Greg Norgard (Robin). Family had always been #1 for Julie. The family grew from two children to seven grandchildren nine great-grandchildren. Christmas and birthdays were always family celebrations. Numerous nieces and nephews, especially niece Patty Van Dyke and her four sons Chris, Ben, Mark and David were especially close, and grand-nieces and grand-nephews made family reunions cherished memories. After her marriage to Jim ended in divorce, she married Neil Phillips in1980. After Neil's death in l984, Julie sought refuge in the spiritual life searching various practices. She also became a massage therapist and took special Thai massage training in Bangkok, Thailand. After returning from Thailand she moved to Laguna Beach and eventually opened her own practice. Besides tending to her clients needs, she shared her gentle spirit and firm hands with AIDS patients.
A shared interest in Zen Buddhism brought Julie and Sally Barron together in 1996. Thenty- three years of love, joy and service together ended peacefully with Julie's passing into eternal life on Sunday morning March 22, 2020. She had wonderful memories and hundreds of photos of the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk from Santa Barbara to Malibu, travel to Fiji and Australia, road trips to Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, a drive up the CA coast to Portland, OR, visits to the mountain hideaway in Idyllwild CA, hiking at Mammoth, driving to Albuquerque NM for a Richard Rohr conference. But most of the time here in Laguna was spent serving her congregation at Neighborhood Congregational Church as head of the ushers and participating in Healing Touch services, and the community of Laguna Beach by cooking meals for the residents of the local ASL emergency shelter, or serving on the Laguna Beach HIV Council.
Julie will be remembered, as a friend recently described her, as the most likable person she ever met-funny, sincere, welcoming, genuine, tolerant, kind, giving and loving. A memorial service will be planned in the near future when those who love her can come together to celebrate all she means to them.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude for all the expressions of love and support from members of the congregation and friends in the community.
Memorial donations are appreciated. Make checks out to Neighborhood Congregational Church, with "Deacon's Fund" in the memo line. These funds are used to assist members of the Laguna Beach community in their time of need.
Love in action.