Julie Samuelson

Julie Samuelson was born in Beverly Hills, California on August 9, 1966 and died peacefully on September 1, 2025 in Rockville, Maryland due to complications from cancer. Julie spent her childhood in a leafy neighborhood in Potomac, Maryland and graduated from Churchill High School. She earned a B.A. in speech communication from Denison University and had a successful career in marketing and sales in DC and California, eventually settling in the DC metro area.

When not working, Julie fulfilled her love of food, travel, exploration, and learning. Her many travel adventures included scuba diving in Honduras; an extended stay on the island of Saba in the Caribbean; and "once in a lifetime" trips to Israel and Morocco. She briefly lived and worked as a Welfare Reform Researcher in Anchorage, Alaska. As a foodie, she loved fine restaurants and ethnic eateries. She enjoyed a spicy scallop handroll or a family dinner of Peking duck at a round table. She could make a mean gumbo. And after traveling in Greece, she over-indulged in what she called the "village salad."

Julie was diagnosed with Lupus in her 20s. Over time, she became a master of managing her chronic illness and found that she had a talent for supporting others with their chronic illnesses and other life challenges. She volunteered in patient advocacy for the Lupus Foundation and the Johns Hopkins Patient and Family Advisory Council, and she supported family, friends, and friends of friends as they coped with acute and chronic illnesses. In her 40s, she earned her Master's in Social Work at The Catholic University of America and went on to provide clinical therapy at Across Counseling and The Women's Center in Vienna, Virginia, and at the Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland in Baltimore.

Throughout her life, Julie appreciated the performing arts and immersing herself in novels. She enjoyed going to the theater, especially Broadway musicals, including going to Broadway itself. Julie's book club meant a lot to her, sharing dishes prepared with love and gabbing with her social work friends. In her 40s, she took up improv theater, which resonated with her creativity, sense of humor, and playfulness.

People were really at the center of Julie's world, and she would turn any situation into an opportunity to laugh with others. In addition to experiencing committed romantic bonds and satisfying, joyful kinship as a step-mom, she thrived on the long-term, loving relationships she shared with family and friends. Pets were another key ingredient to her happiness; Sundown, Bruce, P-four, and Peanut provided unconditional love and endless entertainment.

Julie was predeceased by aunt Alice Scherr and will be greatly missed by those who survive her: mother Melanie Samuelson, step-father Marc McGee, father Dave Samuelson, step-mother Eva Franklin, sister Lo Samuelson, brother-in-law Chris Haddad, niece Naomi Haddad, aunt Salli Snyder, uncle Franklin Rubenstein, uncle and aunt Henry and Debbie Lasker, uncle Coblens Scherr, friends Anne Sibert and Joe Filippazzo, as well as many dear family members and friends.

A memorial gathering is being planned; details will be shared at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in Julie's honor be made to Blood Cancer United, HopeWell Cancer Support, or Lupus Foundation.