Julie Kathleen Merryman

Julie Kathleen Merryman died on Wednesday morning, August 17, 2022. Gone too soon. She was preceded in death by paternal grandparents, Sam and Mamie Merryman, maternal grandparents, Charles and Genevieve Boggs, and her mother, Patricia Merryman.

Known to friends and family as Jules, she is survived by her father, Lambert Merryman, siblings (and their spouses), Laurie Jordan (Clay Jordan), Mitch Merryman (Chandra Merryman), Lisa Givens (Steve Givens), nieces/nephews, Josh Jackson (Laura Jackson), Elizabeth Whitby, Emma Jordan, Ben Singleton, Zane Jordan, Jenny Singleton (Matt Hollins), Jed Jordan, and great nieces/nephews, Isabella Whitby, Joshua Jackson, Samuel Jackson and Cassidy Hollins.

Jules was born in Pensacola, Florida, raised with a father in the Navy, so she lived all over the United States as a child, and moved to Gallatin, Tennessee, where she received high academic honors at Gallatin High School. There she was active in marching band, playing the saxophone.

Jules lived with passion, determination and was driven by her instinct to be of service to others. She was a student of life, learning as a young woman the importance of self-reflection and making use of her own difficulties to be available to others who face sometimes seemingly impossible obstacles. Jules was always at her very best when she was helping someone to see that what might appear insurmountable is not, and that it is through facing our own challenges that we become the best versions of ourselves.

Though Julie never had biological children of her own, she was an aunt that none could compete with. She showed up to countless field trips, parent teacher conferences, games, practices, and just life in general. She was 13 when she became an aunt for the first time, but somehow, she managed to grow up with her nieces and nephews and find the perfect balance between being our aunt and our friend. As her nieces and nephews had children of their own, our relationships shifted with her, and she stood beside us as we walked through life as adults and we were able to watch her be the aunt we grew up loving to our own children. She left us with the constant reminder of the importance of that bond as we love on each other’s kids, and a reminder that you can never take too many pictures.

Jules worked for several addiction treatment/mental health provider organizations, including Cumberland Heights, ONSITE/Milestones, and The Ranch, where she was instrumental in developing an eating disorder treatment track that continues to provide high quality treatment for the very specific needs of patients with eating disorders diagnoses. She was also part of a team that developed/wrote recovery literature for eating disorder support groups.

Over the past 20 years, Jules cofacilitated eating disorder retreat weekends that provided services for hundreds of individuals and families dealing with eating disorders. One previous patient at The Ranch and a participant in several of Jules’s retreats, said, “I don’t have a single negative memory of Jules. She was just a safe place; she was a life preserver for me and so many others.”

Jules did not stop at helping her fellow humans, she was a lover of animals, always keeping a childhood photo of she and her pony, Pow Wow, close by. She and her beagle pup, Sophie, were inseparable. (Sophie also preceded Jules in death – rainbow bridge wishes anyone?) Jules leaves her dog, Daisy, in the excellent hands of loving family.

Jules loved horses and volunteered at a horse rescue program in Gallatin. Family asks that anyone wishing to make memorial contributions, please consider making donations to Volunteer Equine Advocates: https://veatnhorserescue.com/how-you-can-help .

The impact of Julie Merryman’s too short life will continue to be felt for a long time to come. She leaves a powerful ripple effect. And we will miss her so very much.

Arrangements Entrusted to: Sumner Funeral & Cremation, Gallatin (615) 452-9059 www.sumnerfuneral.com