Julie Sugg Singmaster

Julie Louise Sugg Singmaster was born on the Sugg family farm in Vancouver, Washington, which later became Sugg Airport, established by her grandfather Roy Sugg in 1957 and later run by her father Herbert Sugg until 1995. She cherished her younger sister Kathy Moreland, who passed in 2008, and remained close to her younger brothers Jeff Sugg and his wife Susan, and Calvin Sugg and his wife Sue, who were with her until the end of her journey. She took great pride in her nephews Barry, Brian, and Neil Moreland and in watching their families grow with their wives Tiffany, Jenny, and Kristin.

A highly creative and independent woman, Julie graduated as valedictorian and prom queen from Evergreen High School in 1963. She attended Clark College from 1963 to 1965, earning an Associate of Arts degree while serving on the design staff for the student magazine Galapagon and as Student Council Treasurer. In April 1966 she married Jimmie Lee Singmaster of Portland, Oregon. Together they raised their daughter Leslie Singmaster Runyan in Vancouver on an urban farm in the Minnehaha area. Julie and Jim were active in the Jaguar Owners Club of Oregon and founded the first All British Field Meet at Blue Lake Park, later moving it to PIR with friends the Rollins, Haywards, and Graysons. The event continues nearly five decades later.

Julie worked for 25 years as a medical transcriptionist at Southwest Washington Medical Center, even correcting nurses’ terminology in her final weeks. An early environmental advocate, she and her family were featured in newspapers in 1971 for their commitment to repurposing, reusing, and recycling. She passed these values to her daughter Leslie and son-in-law Erik Runyan, her granddaughters Erin Runyan, Megan Johnson, and Paige Travers, and their husbands Nolan Johnson and Gabe Travers. She delighted in reading and playing with her great-grandchildren Jett Crew and Foster Rae Johnson. Julie loved hiking with friends Carol and John, restoring her home with thoughtful design and antique Japanese furniture, and creating a Northwest native landscape inspired by her mother, Gloria Mary Kelso Sugg, who passed in 2002. She remained close to her extended family, including Jim Singmaster and Jan Daniels, Ray and Linda Miller, JayeAnn Miller, Scott and Teri Miller, Mary Linder, and Tim Errington and Donna Singmaster, recently celebrating Kay Singmaster’s 104th birthday.

Diagnosed with cancer just 38 days before her death, Julie was deeply grateful for the care provided by nurse Anita and the Ray Hickey Hospice staff. She requested no funeral service and chose to be cremated so her remains could be scattered by family on favorite hiking trails, in gardens, and along beaches. In honor of her life, she asked that donations be made to favorite charities, particularly those she supported monthly such as the SWW Humane Society, OPB, and Meals on Wheels, or that people simply begin recycling and planting trees.