Julie A. Buchella Van Dran

In Loving Memory

Julie A. Buchella Van Dran

October 17, 1960 – January 17, 2021

Julie was born in Tucson, Arizona to Frank H. Buchella, Jr. and Harlene Matthews.  She spent the majority of her youth in Tucson and also spent some time in Florence, AZ, Los Angeles, CA, and Silver City, NM.  Julie graduated high school in Tucson, AZ, and then returned to Silver City where she was married for 14 years and lived in Pinos Altos.  She then moved to Las Cruces, NM where she worked as a disability counselor, which she greatly enjoyed.  She attended some college at Western New Mexico University and New Mexico University.  She moved from Las Cruces to Pinetop, AZ where she enjoyed the pines, streams, and nature with her dog Blackie and her sister Tina for a few years.  She spent the last 15 years living in Tucson being close with her family, who she loved and wanted to spend time with, but always longed to return to the mountains.  Julie was a strong, kind, loving, compassionate, intelligent person who loved the outdoors, the mountains, music, animals, drawing, roses, good food, and poetry.  She eventually had a poem published in a poetry book.  She enjoyed laughing, drawing, and anything with a sparkle in it.  She brought much joy to those around her and always had an ear to listen to people despite her own struggles.  She will be greatly missed by her family as she filled our lives every day with joy.  She is survived by her brother, Jeffrey Glenn Buchella, her sisters Diane Rich (Bob), and Tina Buchella (Chip).