Julia Grandy Obituary

Holly A Van Hest '72 said:

Covered our front teeth with black magic marker during a study- mod in the cafeteria. "What, Me Worry?" and anything George Carlin would set us off into fits of laughter.

Holly A Van Hest '72 said:

She was my best friend in HS. We did everything together. In 1970 we took off for S. Jersey to find my bf with whom I'd decided to run away with to Boston. I couldn't leave Julia behind so we made it to Central NJ looking for him and his Carmen Gia. When we couldn't locate him (turns out his father had just passed away) we split and headed for Boston each of us with $.35 lunch money. We hitch hiked thru NJ, PA, NYC, NY, CT, until we reached Cambridge, near Boston w/2 kids we met also hitch hiking. Spent the night in Cambridge then made it to BU, then downtown Boston into Brookline, rescued from the Boston Common at night by a girl from Brookline. We spent the night at her parents house (awkward!) then headed out for Canada when I learned my dad was en route to Boston with the bf's BMF, in our yellow station Wagon. We hit the Pike heading north, both of us singing aloud to Country Joe & The Fish and Smokey's "Tears of a Clown". We had the time of our lives. We made it to just outside the Maine/Canada border. Our end goal was to get to Haight/Ashbury District, SF, CA. We talked our way through every state's State Troupers (even skirted the NIghtly News in Grande Central RR, NYC, when a reporter shoved a microphone in my face. Runaways, we were horrified w/a quick "NO!". We got tripped up by an off duty country co in Fryberg Maine. My run away name was "Donna McNight" , Jules was "Jan Marucci" classmates of ours. When he asked us where we were going I said we were visiting my grandmother. He asked what her name was and I froze - all I could think of was the poet Alan Ginsberg (Howl) and said Mrs. Ginsberg and that I was Alice (from Alice's Restaurant)Ginsberg. At that time in rural Maine there were no Ginsberg's. Shocked at my faux pas, Julia uttered an audible "Holly!" to which I replied "Julia!" and that was that. We tripped up and were busted. We were gone for around 5 days. An APB out on us, I'd called my missing bf and then his best friend. I blew it by telling him we were in Boston. My dad was on the PA Turnpike with bf's BMF in our yellow station wagon heading for Boston. They stopped him at a toll booth and informed him they'd found us. Dad & Don flew up to Maine where the cop had put us up at his home (wife, 2 young sons). He and his family took us to a relative's farm, leaving us in the car and the keys in the ignition! Neigher of us knew how to drive but were desperately trying to talk the other one into taking off in the police car. Back in Abington, I disappeared for a year but Jules visited me regularly. In 1971 I made it back to Abington, to barely graduate in 1972. We stayed in touch for many years after I'd left for BU in 1972. She got married, I stayed in Boston, and we lost touch. I spoke to her from a phone during Abington's 10-year HS Graduation. That was the last time I heard her voice. She married a veterinarian - no coincidence that after leaving a 10-year career in Corporate America in 1991, I started a Concierge Type Home Care business in 1992, which included pet care. I sold all but the pet care division in 1997, invested the proceeds towards full time Pet Care (all of my customers had pets). From June,1997 through Mid-2020 I ran a successful business. Albeit 24/7, we (staff of 5) cared for all types of animals - even sheep, McCaw's, a VN Pot Belly Pig and large Iguanas. A lifelong love of animals (6 cats and 1 dog of my own) the business became my life. I'd wished so many times that I could have shared that part of my life with Jules. She'd probably have approved that I (finally) found the path to sobriety in Feb.,1991 (34 years coming up). RIP, Sweet Jules, I can hear your laugh right now. I miss you.