“One of the good ones” A tribute to Julie Waller

Early on in her life Julie earned a first class honours degree in Social Sciences, and then trained as a sixth form teacher of psychology. She became a pastoral tutor at Farnborough Sixth Form college in Hampshire, then worked at Coombe Dean Secondary school in Plymouth.

The family moved to Majorca in 2012 when her husband took up the position as Reverend at the Anglican Church in Palma. Julie worked for a while at Palma College and at Agora school. And then, in recent years she started her own business, having trained at postgraduate level in coaching to provide academic and life skills guidance to young people.

Through her work and her personality, Julie had a profound effect on many people in Majorca, as these tributes below will show. She continued to help others until she herself could not physically go on due to her illness. She was not only my friend, she was a friend to many. We will miss you very much.

Heather McIntosh

“We met at church in Palma. We became friends immediately. She led the children’s Sunday group and my daughter Rosi loved her. I also attended a few of her mindfulness sessions. We always had a high vibrant positive conversation. She knew how to listen. She always responded with positivity and faith. We lived close together and were able to meet up for coffee and go to the Consell market together. She was always so kind and attentive to listen to my daughter and give her such praise and encouragement.
“I’m really so shocked she is gone. Julie was such a perfect role model to all of us. She loved unconditionally. She always observed Rosi so accurately from Sunday school and was so positive with her words. I feel so sad for Katie and David”

Holly Lowe

“Julie was a very special lady. She had so much lifeforce and energy, she was so strong and principled and so knowledgeable and clever. But at the same time she was gentle and warm. She had the ability not to just hear but to really listen. And she had this amazing knack of pulling out all the subtext you were hardly even aware of yourself. I felt better for having Julie in my life and I took for granted the idea that I would continue to call on her in the future. If you were lost or struggling in life, Julie was who you turned to. And if your friends were in this situation, Julie was where you sent them. Losing Julie is such a sad shock. To have someone so impactful and present, to suddenly not be… she leaves such a large hole. And I feel such sadness for all the people who never got to meet Julie and have their lives enriched by her. She will be very sadly missed.”

Gigi Neilson McLeod

“I knew Julie for a limited amount of time, therefore I didn’t know her all that well. However, she was one of the most impactful people in my life. She always said that I was a natural born psychologist. That wasn’t true, however, it really was a tribute to her way of explaining things; how she made foggy concepts turn crystal clear in a matter of moments and by giving me space to explore these new concepts. I tried telling her this, Julie being her typical self, modestly shot that idea down by complimenting me. It’s the advice and knowledge that she gave me that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life, guiding me through it all. Thank you Julie Waller, you will be missed.”

Inés Landberg

“In May 2021 I was desperately seeking some help for me and my eldest son, a sort of mother and son counselling. The most often mentioned name was Julie. We connected and above all she offered me free counselling for a few weeks in a community scheme she had set up. When we first met in person I realised we had met before a few times, as I took my kids sometimes to the Anglican church in Palma and I always remembered her coming up to chat to us and being ever so kind to my 3 boys.

“Our initial goal of some long term ‘parent-child relationship’ help was set aside, as my son desperately needed some immediate guidance to pass his school year before the term would end. My son passed his year thanks to her dedication to help. She was so very helpful but already during these few times we spent with her, her days were overshadowed by hospital appointments. I made an effort to carefully enquire but she was very subtle about it all.

“In Julie’s presence I felt very comfortable and to me she had a strong resemblance to my mother-in-law, whom I miss dearly since moving to Mallorca. Julie gave me a feeling of coming come and I am so utterly sad not being able to see her again. I would like to thank her again for all she did and hope she is resting in peace. Our condolences to her family.”

Jill Witkamp, Palma College

“Julie was a very unique person. She worked at Palma College as a Psychology teacher when we first started. Later she came back to give great workshops to the students as part of the Enrichment programme. I know via her Acceptance and Commitment therapy she helped some of our students privately and gave them strength to move forward. Julie was kind, positive, humble and has left us all with good memories.”

Heather Smith

“I met Julie just over 18 months ago when she started Spanish classes with me. Many of the classes took place online during the lockdown but when that was over, we continued in her little Learning Centre in Palma where she helped and counselled many young people. Her first- class degree in psychology was put to good use. After the lessons our conversations and friendship grew and grew along with the croissants and tea we consumed.

“ I never imagined what a good friend Julie was to become, nor how much I would come to admire and love her. Julie was special, unique, a ‘one-off’. She was an exceptionally intelligent and sensitive person who tried to use her many gifts to help others and make her corner of the world better. Her sharp intellect and vision meant that she sometimes clashed with more conventional and conformist souls who didn’t want their boat rocked, but had she been allowed, Julie could have brought about changes that would have benefitted many.

Even so, she has helped many young people through her counselling and who I am sure will not forget her. She was a breath of fresh air fuelled by a pioneering spirit that so sadly has been truncated at the age of fifty-seven. She was also one of the most honourable and honest people I have ever met. Add this to a great sense of humour, a compassionate and empathic nature and you cannot help but agree that Julie’s loss is huge.

“Even during her illness, Julie still tried to help where she could, and was still interested in what others were doing. Her love for children and young people was immense, as was her desire to alleviate their suffering. She was a champion of the misunderstood, of the ones who didn’t fit in the box, as she at times must have felt herself to be.

“It was a great pleasure and honour to have her friendship. I salute you, Julie. May you fly high in the light and peace you so deserve.”

Michaela Bowyer, Palma College

“We all have our individual paths and Julie had an innate knowledge of guiding all those who came across hers to finding their way to theirs. Julie was so generous, with her time but none of us knew how little time Julie had left. So brave, so strong, so unassuming. Julie, your kind spirit, your insight and your generosity will be missed.”

Ciara Maris Hart Gonzalez

“What to say when someone you love has died, someone who was loved and adored by many and whose unexpected death will shock and affect everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. It pains me to have to say that all we can hope to do is hold on, hold on to her memory, to her laugh and to all those crazy chats you have shared with her.
“Julie was an amazing person, who would put everyone’s needs above her own, without asking for anything in return. I met Julie during a very tough stage of my life, when I longed for support and care, someone who would listen to me and worry after me, something I didn’t feel I had in that moment and I instantly gained after my first session with her.

I felt connected to her and thought she could help me overcome all my troubles, but instead she taught me mindfulness and awareness of myself, of my surroundings.
“Every week we would sit down in her comfy office and work on clarity, we usually did this while enjoying a cup of tea and biscuits, not just ordinary biscuits but a wide range of biscuits, from chocolate ones to gingerbread and even bio biscuits that she bought when I became too self-conscious to scoff down the chocolate ones. She cared so much about people feeling safe and comfortable that she would pay so much attention to the small details, such as biscuits, room temperature.

There was a point in my life where my day-to-day routine was harder than usual and I relied on Julie more than I would have liked, from late night calls to unscheduled emergency sessions and daily messages. I always felt that no matter what was occurring in my life I had Julie, even when I felt I had no one else I always felt like I had her, there was a point in which I even called her my ‘only’ friend and she would rightfully correct me that I shouldn’t picture her as a friend as it could result in crossed boundaries. It’s ridiculous moments like these that linger in my mind, moments where I knew I had someone, I had the support I always wanted.

“In the two years we spent together I grew extremely close to her, and to her kindness, I admired the love she had for her daughter Katie and her husband and the patience she shared with me. Julie, I will miss our talks and sharing my poems with you, and how you always made me feel at home while reminding me to be mindful and aware. You would remind me at this moment to take care of ‘little Ciara’ as you always paid so much attention to the little child we had inside us, I cannot begin to express my feeling or mention every amazing thing Julie did for me, as the list is enormous, but what I can say is she helped me fill a void, she reminded me of why life is worth living and how everything can change with a bit of awareness.

Thank you for becoming the mother-figure I needed, and for leaving us with all those memories of the time shared and the memories spent together. The only regret I have is not having more time with you, as I am sure others do too. Julie was an amazing person who cared and gave so much and who will now continue guiding us in our journeys, even after her passing. May you rest in peace, Julie Waller.”

Lucy Ireland, Bikini Beach Boutique & Spa

“We were lucky enough to have Julie teach meditation at Bikini Beach one winter and I can honestly say she was the kindest, most generous lady I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. She touched everyone she met with her calming presence. Her cheeky sense of humour and welcoming smile made everyone instantly feel at ease. She will be so sadly missed.”

Majorca Daily Bulletin

“Staff at the Majorca Daily Bulletin offer our condolences to her family and her column will be sadly missed.”