#Middlebury #Obituary
Loving wife, mother, grandmother and gardener
Julie Keggi passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in Florida on March 14, 2022 after a brief but fierce battle with a lung illness of unknown origin. She was the beloved wife of Kristaps Juris Keggi.
Born on January 24, 1935 in Evanston, Illinois to Joseph Very Quarles and Mary Louise Quarles (nee Fronheiser) and named Julia Grant Quarles, Julia proudly bore the names of some of the pioneering families of Kenosha, Wisconsin, and U.S. Senator Joseph Very Quarles. Whip smart and well-educated, Julie was a graduate of the Emma Willard School and Smith College.
After college graduation, Julie embarked on a summer tour of Europe. At the start of the tour, on the steps of Buckingham Palace, Julie met Kristaps Juris Keggi, a Latvian American and recent Yale College graduate. Their courtship progressed as the tour proceeded through Europe and included a romantic hike up the Jungfrau in search of an edelweiss. They were married the following summer.
Julie spent the next phase of her life supporting Kris through the last two years of the Yale Medical School, an internship in New York, and orthopaedic residency back at Yale. After residency he served two years in U.S. Army as an orthopaedic surgeon, one year in El Paso, Texas, and the other in Vietnam. By the time Kris left for Vietnam in 1965 they were the parents of three girls. Julie stayed in El Paso with the girls while her husband served in the combat zones of Vietnam. In 1966 Julia and Kris returned to New Haven and the Yale faculty.
Julie created beautiful homes for her family wherever they lived. In 1969, the Keggi family moved to Middlebury, Connecticut where Julie was a pillar of the community. Julie devoted much time and energy to numerous organizations and held leadership positions in many. She was particularly proud of the work she did to support the expansion of the Mattatuck Museum. A member of the Middlebury Congregational Church for over 50 years Julie drew much strength and comfort from her relationship with the Lord and His church.
Julie loved a good game and was a keen competitor throughout her life on and off the golf course. A skilled golfer, she has countless club championships to her name at the Country Club of Waterbury and Highfield. In addition to golf Julie loved playing bridge, backgammon, cribbage, boggle, dominos, sudoku and had just completed her first wordle.
Gardening was a lifelong passion. Julie was always growing something, whether it was an avocado tree from a discarded pit or a magnificent display of dahlias. Daffodils, daylilies and dahlias were some of her favorite flowers. Julie had a knack for arranging the flowers she grew and her bouquets brought beauty and joy to all who were fortunate enough to receive them as gifts, or see them at Highfield or in the Middlebury Congregational Church. Her love of art and knowledge of art history were an inspiration and a special treat to anyone who had the good fortune to visit a museum with Julie. She loved travel and was at her best with Kristaps when they were venturing out around the world together and with her beloved family.
Besides her husband, Kris, of 64 years, she leaves three daughters, Catherine Keggi Hunter (Howard), Mara Keggi Ford (Donald) and Caroline Saunders Keggi (Connie Wilson); five grandchildren, George Quarles Hunter, Julia deLaureal Hunter, Christopher Daly Ford, Alexander Walden Ford and Eliza Hannah Ford; and a brother, Joseph Very Quarles.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, April 2, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the Middlebury Congregational Church. Everyone is asked to meet directly at the church. Burial will follow in Middlebury Cemetery. Brookside Memorial/The Albini Family Funeral Home at 200 Benson Road in Middlebury has been entrusted with Julia’s arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Middlebury Congregational Church, 1242 Whittemore Road, Middlebury CT 06762 (www.middleburyucc.org) or to a museum of your choice.
For more information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.brooksidememorial.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment.