Julia Christine Snyder

Dear Snyder Family, I am so moved by the Celebration of Life for Julia. I was not able to attend the live meeting but have since watched it. She was a special soul who blessed many lives in her brief existence on earth. I will always be grateful to Julia for helping me get my foot in the door at Cabrillo. I job-shared with her for 5 years. She was beginning to struggle with health issues at that point and decided to cut back. I was just getting back into teaching and it was a perfect fit for both of us. She was a gifted Artist and had a strong Science background which she uniquely weaved together in her teaching. I learned a lot from her. She had a way of reaching difficult and troubled children. She was loved by many children including several of my nieces and nephews. We tried to get together a few times a year. Celebrated her 50th birthday at her favorite restaurant just 3 years ago. I saw her twice after the fire. She wanted so much to have a normal life, to get married, have children. I knew she was fragile but I had no idea to what extent. She was talented, beautiful, loving and gentle. I feel blessed to have known her and will continue to be grateful for all I learned from her. She lives on in the many students she touched and the teachers she influenced. Julia was a friend, a colleague, and a role model in living a life which was not easy for her with grace and dignity, hope and as much joy as she could muster. I cannot begin to imagine your pain and loss right now. I can only share with you that Julia thought the world of all of you. She spoke often about the love she felt for you and the love she got from you - the constant care from mom, the times surfing with dad, adventures with her brother and how much she loved her nieces and all the fun things they did - many, many wonderful memories of times together. May you all be comforted in the memory of those shared times together. Much Love, Patti Mehring