Julia Arwen Clark Smith

Julia Arwen Clark Smith (née Clark), born April 8, 1971, in Toronto, Canada, passed away at her home on June 12, 2026, surrounded by the love of her closest family and friends, after a quiet yet fiercely courageous battle with cancer.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband Craig and her children, Sebastian, Paulina, and Hugo.

Julia lived with an unmistakable vibrancy. She will be remembered for her impeccable sense of style, her gift for design, her adventurous spirit, and her love of travel, good wine, music and meaningful connection. Wherever she turned her attention, whether to a creative project or the careful orchestration of people and ideas, she brought clarity, energy, and care. Where Julia lent her hand, success was never far behind.

Raised in Victoria, British Columbia, Julia attended Oak Bay Secondary before moving to Vancouver to study History at the University of British Columbia. That curiosity about the world evolved into a passion for interior design and a remarkable talent for organizing complex projects with grace and precision including building and designing her home in North Vancouver, B.C.

Her childhood carried an early sense of adventure. She spent formative years in Oona River on Porcher Island, and in the United Kingdom, attending kindergarten while living aboard a boat on the Dart River in Devon; already, her life intertwined with water, movement, and story.

The sea would remain a guiding thread throughout her life. Julia sailed with S.A.L.T.S. (Sail and Life Training Society), including two offshore voyages aboard the topsail schooner Pacific Swift, where she met her future husband, Craig, in 1992. In a moment she would recount with laughter, she once struck the late HRH Prince Philip on the head while serving as crew during a royal day sail on the Robertson II, a story as spirited and unforgettable as Julia was.

At the heart of her life in B.C. was Buccaneer Bay. The Smith family cabin, set among the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, became both refuge and anchor. Julia’s deep Clark family roots were intertwined with the bay’s history, and over time she has become a part of it herself; stitched into its wind and salt and history, almost inseparable from its shores.

She cherished everything Buccaneer offered: its “honey-coloured evenings,” its quiet rhythms, and its enduring sense of community. She could be found walking the beach, climbing Spyglass Hill, or pausing to share a conversation with a passing friend or stranger. She absorbed each moment fully and gave back even more, leaving every summer infused with her warmth, generosity, and love.

Julia loved deeply and lived fully. She made space for both family and adventure, whether traveling to visit friends or setting off on spirited escapes to Los Angeles, Mexico, and London, where she delighted in music, exceptional food, and long walks through the English countryside. Her recent trip up the Canal du Midi with her four sisters and father Martyn, demonstrates her rare ability to make life feel rich, textured, and beautifully lived.

She will be deeply missed, yet she remains in the golden light over the water, in the stories retold with laughter, in the places and people she loved so fiercely, and in the hearts of those who loved her in return.

A Celebration of Julia’s Life will be held at St. Francis-in-the-Wood Anglican Church, 4773 South Piccadilly Road, West Vancouver, on Saturday, June 27 at 3:00 PM.