I never had the pleasure of meeting Julie Richmond in person, but I did get to know her — through emails and phone calls, through her personally written life history and the interview she gave me in June 2023. She was gracious, eloquent and extraordinarily kind, even sending a box of chocolates to the Church News office after we ran a story about her graduating from Brigham Young University–Idaho at age 83.
So I was sorry to hear recently from Rick Richmond, Julie’s son, that she passed away on Aug. 26, 2024, a little over a year after completing her college education and just shy of her 85th birthday.
Julie’s story is inspiring because it’s not only about the value of education or of achieving long-held dreams. It’s about wringing every bit of meaning from life, down to the last day; it’s about reaching an age where someone could think, not unreasonably, that they’ve done enough — but still choosing self-improvement, even insisting on it.
She embodied counsel given by Church leaders for decades: to gain as much education as possible, both formal and informal, and to never stop learning.
In a September 2014 New Era article, President Russell M. Nelson, then a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, said, “Brothers and sisters, don’t be afraid to pursue your goals — even your dreams. There is no shortcut to excellence and competence. Education is the difference between wishing you could help other people and being able to help them.”
President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, expressed a similar sentiment in an October 2002 Ensign article, while serving as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “The Lord and His Church have always encouraged education to increase our ability to serve Him and our Heavenly Father’s children. For each of us, whatever our talents, He has service for us to give. And to do it well always involves learning, not once or for a limited time, but continually.”
And during an October 2021 BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, then serving as Primary general president, said, “Your education will open the doors of opportunity, enhance your confidence and increase your self-reliance. We know that ‘the glory of God is intelligence’ (Doctrine and Covenants 93:36). Your education makes you more like our Heavenly Father. And whatever we learn in this life goes with us to the next. The reward is that we get to keep everything we learn.”
In a recent conversation, Rick Richmond said his mother’s education strengthened her efforts to serve those around her. Even during the last week of her life, she sat with someone unsure of their faith, holding their hand and simply listening, he said.
Julie’s education, her son continued, honed her already-sharp people skills, helping her connect with others on a variety of topics that she previously had less knowledge about.
Now, the Richmonds take comfort in knowing Julie is reunited with her sweetheart and still putting her education to good use on the other side of the veil, Rick said.
“Don’t feel sorry for the Richmond family,” he said. “We’re joyous at having been allowed to have her as a mother, and she’s off now with my father and doing other grand things.”
