Julia Maria Aguilar

On Sunday September 22, 2019 Julia Maria Aguilar, our beloved daughter went to be with the Lord at age 38, surrounded by her family at St. David’s North in Austin. Julia was born July 4, 1981 at Brook Army Medical Center to Gerardo and Maria Aguilar. She was born prematurely at 26 weeks and weighed 1 pound 14 ounces. She was a miracle baby and was a true fighter all her 38 years. She loved exploring, trying new things, overcoming obstacles. If someone told her she could not do this or that she would say, “why ?’ They would respond, because you’re blind. Her response was always “So”. Once she took a talking wrist watch apart. It took many hours and when apart she showed her parents. Dad told her now you better put it back together. She put it all back together. She never gave up, no matter how difficult. She loved building things with Legos. Another thing she loved was Teddy Ruxpin and Elke White made sure the local TG&Y got one for her. Music was her passion, her life. She began playing the flute in 6th grade under the direction of David Hausmann, where she won many awards as she did in high school under leadership of Paul Fellows and Richard Hooper. As a high school Sr, she won state solo and ensemble a few times. While in school she was selected by the state to attend Leadership meetings in Dallas and Houston. Governor Ann Richards selected Julia to represent Texas in this Leadership group on a trip to Austria. She attended band camps as soon as she was allowed and always loved going to Texas Tech Band Camp. She took private lessons from Sheryl Goodnight in Little River Academy. Julia would attend the school for the blind starting at age 4 during the summer months for 6 weeks. As she got older the summer program grew to include living in apartments and learning how to become more independent. She worked near the State Capital. She attended Lampasas schools and graduated in 1999. She had many upperclassmen friends. She was a member of Lampasas bands, playing her flute and she was in marching band during football season, where she held the banner and played pit bells. She graduated high school on a Friday night and the next morning was off to Austin where she enrolled at Austin Community College and later Temple College. Once she completed some basic course work she transferred to Texas Tech University in Lubbock. She had long had a dream of attending Tech. She was so excited to be a Red Raider. There, she continued her study of music under direction of Dr. Garner, where she played many concerts. Julia graduated from Texas Tech University in 2006 Magna Cum Laude with double major in Music Performance and Psychology. She later studied at Canterbury University in New Zealand. While there she was elected to attend top studies where they only picked 5 students to participate. She had begun work toward her Master’s degree, hoping one day to earn her Doctorate. While in New Zealand she met many important people and made many friends. She was a member of the New Zealand Concert Band and the Hutt Orchestra. She also played for the opera. She held a full time job that required travel all over New Zealand. While living there she met a student working on his Master’s degree and he did a documentary on Julia called “ A Friend in Sight” that can be seen on youtube. This caught the attention of many including the Prime Minister of Japan who came to New Zealand to see the film. Julia was able to meet him and was honored by him. She returned to Texas and began working for Apple Corp. in Austin. She was the first blind Hispanic female to be hired by Apple. She was very excited to work for them. The interview team said they had never had such a brilliant interview. She was loved by many and everywhere she went she touched so many lives young and old. Julia also served as a liason on the City Council for the visually impaired. She was able to advance many changes such as getting the council to add beepers at lights to help visually impaired safely cross streets. Everytime she was in Lubbock after that she would get the biggest smile and would tell us listen, I did that. Julia got her first guide dog “Reggie” while in college, where she trained him in New Jersey and New York City. Her beloved Reggie died while they were in New Zealand. Her next guide dog, “Kerry” was with her until retirement in Austin. Kerry was given to her parents. Julia had recently gotten her 3rd guide dog “Vonya. These wonderful dogs came from the Seeing Eye in New Jersey. Donations can be made to them. While in New Jersey Julia met a very special young man getting his dog. He eventually became the love of her life. Shortly after meeting they became engaged and were planning a beautiful wedding in the spring. On January 31, 2019 Julia was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. Julia gave it her all fighting this horrible disease. She wanted to live, she would say she had so much to live for. Mostly she wanted to marry the man of her dreams. The love between them was amazing. God sent him to be by her side and give her the love and comfort she so much deserved. Not once did he leave her side and made sure he was there for all her appointments including chemo treatments. Julia leaves behind, her parents Gerardo and Maria Aguilar, guide dog Vonya, fiance’ Justin Mann( Justin’s daughter Olivia Mann, Justin’s parents, Tommy and Joy Mann all of Gainesville, TX). Grandmother, Teresa Velasquez, Grandparents, Marcelo and Mary Julia Aguilar of Lubbock, beloved aunt, Cruz Gonzalez (Mando) of Austin, Justin Velasquez, Jim Langley and Stacy, Esther Cervantes, Rosenda Vargas, Joe Andrew Velasquez (Mary), Christina Gomez (Danny), Elena Aguilar, Julie Rojo (Robert), Joe Aguilar (Yolanda), Frank Aguilar (Virginia), Antonio Aguilar (Jamaca), Marcelo Aguilar (Jessica), numerous cousins, great aunts, great uncles, beloved teachers and friends. She was preceded in death by twin siblings and her grandfather Joe Velasquez Jr. Rosary and viewing will be at 6:00 p.m. Friday September 27, 2019 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lampasas. Funeral Mass is Saturday September 28, 2019 at 10:00 a.m.