our sunshine

There are two types of family traits, learned and inherited. Commitment, appreciation and patience are words used to describe family traits that are learned. Eye color, freckles and hair are inherited traits. Charitable and generosity are typically learned traits, but seems to have been inherited in the Scaggs family whom have given so generously to charities and educational institutions like St. Johns College High School in Washington, DC.  Following in his Dad's footsteps, Bill Scaggs, Jr. (aka Uncle Billy to Julia and Niko) has continued his support for St. Johns by making a considerable donation in Julia's name to offer scholarships to financially underprivileged students.  Bill  Jr. always tells me that although she was my Julia, she was our Julia too!

Julia Renee Veizis was born July 16, 2001 in Silver Spring, Maryland to Yasmin and Dino Veizis. Julia was a beautiful light to all who knew her. She, along with her older brother Niko, was her parents’ pride and joy. Her mother, Yasmin, lovingly called Julia her “Turkish Flower.” She embodied the beauty of her mother and the wisdom of her father. Throughout her life, Julia was lucky to be surrounded by a large, loving family that included grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and of course her beloved dog, Louie. Family was huge for Julia - both in numbers and impact. Frequent gatherings with family were common and always significant. Her cousins were a steady fixture by Julia’s side, giving advice, getting advice and sharing so many fun times. Julia spent some of her happiest days in Sivota, Greece, where her family owns a hotel. She enjoyed getting back to her ancestral routes - Greece, where her father’s family originates from, and Turkey, where her mother’s family is from.

She attended pre-school at Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church Nursery School. Julia made friends easily here and in a way, her “social life” at pre-school foreshadowed her years to come as she literally made friends everywhere she went. It became clear at a very young age that once you were Julia’s friend, you were always Julia’s friend. In fact, many of the friends she met on the pre-school playground remained her friends as she continued on to elementary school, middle school, high school and college. Julia’s beauty inside and out simply drew people to her as she loved, laughed, danced, and sang unabashedly through life.

With her big, beautiful smile, she embraced every minute of Seven Locks Elementary School, making even more friends and becoming a Daisy Girl Scout, with her mom leading the troop. It was during her elementary school years that she learned to play soccer, came to love singing and, yes, owned her inner fashionista. She loved the playground at Seven Locks so much that it is still so easy for us to see her frozen in time as the little girl with the big smile running, jumping and exploring on that playground.

Julia went on to Cabin John Middle School with her best friends and enjoyed all the things tweens and teenagers love—shopping with her mom and friends, talking about boys, baking, going to mitzvahs, dressing up her beloved puppy dog Louie, and, yes, more singing, dancing, laughing, and smiling! She was a cheerleader for Shockwave Allstars and quickly came to be known as one of the best tumblers around. She thrived academically and socially. Her family and friends agree that she never even went through that awkward middle school stage.

She began her freshman year at Winston Churchill High School with her two best friends, Lauren and Halle, and they proudly became known as “the Trio.” While the three formed an undeniable bond—an enviable friendship—Julia always made room for others and was well known as “everyone’s friend.” Beautiful, funny and kind, everyone loved sweet Julia. She continued to excel academically, challenging herself by taking the hardest classes and still making it all look so easy. She even tutored friends! Julia was a proud Winston Churchill cheerleader, which ironically was so befitting of one of her best qualities—supporting others and cheering them on to their own success.

Despite all of Julia’s accomplishments—in the classroom, in her extracurriculars, and simply as an extraordinary human being—she was always humble. Julia was truly happy to see all of her friends succeed and was the first in line with a hug for her friends when life threw them a curveball. In the same way she loved her family, Julia loved her friends passionately and unconditionally.

Julia went on to NYU to pursue a double major in Economics and the Business of Entertainment, Media and Technology. She was excited and proud of the fields she was pursuing and poured herself into her studies. She did, however, always make time for friends and family to visit and shop in New York City! At NYU, Julia was a member of AEPhi sorority and loved her new friends. She quickly fell in love with living in New York and she and her roommate, Gabby Kagel, had a great apartment on Sullivan Street. While Julia was growing into a confident young woman and well on her way to becoming a true New Yorker, she never lost one ounce of her genuine kindness. Under her beautiful perfect skin, her amazing clothes and crazy fun shoes, her beautiful makeup, and her undeniable style, Julia was always the same sweet Julia.

In Julia’s short 20 years here on Earth, she made a lasting impact on all who knew her. She leaves behind a family who loves her with all of their being, legions of friends whose lives are all the better for having received her friendship, and a legacy of love and pure kindness by which we should all sing and dance and laugh and smile in Julia’s honor. Julia’s light will shine on all of us eternally.