Julie Anne Knapp

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obit---knapp-Julie-HQ-EDITJulie “Jules” Anne Boyer Knapp, of Pagosa Springs, went home to the Lord on April 21 after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. She was 38 years old.

Julie was born on June 7, 1976, in Yuma, Colo., the middle child of three girls. Julie learned sign language at a young age. She loved it so much that, as an adult, she taught baby sign classes. She graduated college with a degree in psychology, but her real passion and dream was to be a wife and mother. She married Mike Knapp on May 16, 2002, and devoted her time to home-schooling her son and daughter. She was a member of Grace Church and worked with the youth group. Julie was also one of the founding board members of Pagosa Valor School.

Julie never said “no” to adventure. She enjoyed dirt biking, motorcycling, skiing, fly fishing, bow hunting and more. She loved to travel, and, in adopting her son, was able to travel to China. Julie was also very creative and loved photography, scrapbooking, home decorating and making jewelry.

She is survived by her husband, Mike; daughter, Rylie; and son, Talon; mother, Linda Mariska; grandparents, Gene and Lois Huston; sisters, Lori Murphy and Kami Japp; mother- in-law, Carol Bogioli; sister-in-law, Kara Bogioli; brother-in-law, Ted Knapp; stepsister, Teresa McGuiness; stepbrothers, Jeff Mariska and Ed Mariska; as well as many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by father Mike Mariska; cousin Ross Lechman; and nephew Henri McGuiness.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. this Saturday, May 2, at Centerpoint Church, Pagosa Springs.

In lieu of flowers, the family has set up an educational fund for Talon and Rylie Knapp at Bank of the San Juans. Donations may be sent to Bank of the San Juans, Memorial for the Knapp Family, P.O. Box 2830, Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.