Julie Chalfant Depue

DEPUE

JULIE CHALFANT DEPUE

Julie Chalfant DePue, born in Suffolk, New York on May 7, 1968, passed away November 23, 2023, at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, MD following a stroke after a heroic battle against lung cancer.

Julie was preceded by her parents Wanda Sutherland Chalfant and Richard Chalfant. Her husband Dean Anthony DePue, and brothers David Chalfant and Mark Chalfant were with her when she left this earth. She is also survived by step-sons Jody, Zach, and Jeremy and was adored by Mark's partner David Steib.

Julie was blessed with a gift of superior intellect which would quickly enable her to become an expert on topics that interested her. She was a natural storyteller and pursued education in writing and filmmaking. Julie had the talent to make a reader feel transported to whatever destination she wrote. Her first attempt to work on a film behind the camera, however, ended with her in front of the camera in The Arrowtooth Waltz (aka Arizona Dream). She was a natural beauty and a star. Julie's love for the arts filled her life. Ballet, Jazz, Piano, and chorus informed hours with loved ones listening to music and critiquing movies.

Julie's loyalty was remarkable, and she supported many people in both her personal and professional life well past the extra mile. Her brand of support and encouragement made you feel confident of success as the only possible outcome.

It is fitting she left us on Thanksgiving, her favorite holiday. Nothing made her happier than preparing an elaborate meal and sitting around the table for hours, sometimes into the early hours of the next morning, with family and friends talking about current events and how to fix the world. She would instruct everyone to gather around the television to watch the Macy's parade and frequently shed tears of sorrow for things lost and gratitude for the love she had and felt for those in her life.

For a girl afraid of bugs, Dean led her on a 25-year journey she treasured. Through fishing, camping, and gardening tomatoes, Julie developed a scientist's approach to her cooking that led her to canning just about any vegetable and fruit on the planet with Dean providing all the labor! Her brothers and Dean crowned her the canning queen of Takoma Park.

A brief service for Julie will be held Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at 1 p.m. at Francis J. Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Boulevard West, Silver Spring, MD 20901.