Jewell "Julie" Pirkey

We lost our beloved wife, mother and grandmother, Jewell Katherine Buchanan Pirkey on May 28, 2014. Jewell (Julie) was born October 19, 1940 in Ft. Worth, TX to Erma Leftwich Buchanan and James Cyrus Buchanan, Jr. She defied the odds by living with Type 1 Diabetes for 66 years, most of which were healthy and all of which were happy.

Julie was a beautiful person who gave everything to her family. Rarely asking for anything for herself, she was always there for the rest of us. She was a great cook who often could not eat her own creations, a talented musician and a dedicated gardener--she had it all. Julie was known and loved by everyone for her kindhearted disposition, joyful outlook and fierce determination. Wherever she traveled in life she gathered loyal and faithful friends with whom she shared all of life's joys and sorrows with a loving and open heart.

Julie graduated from Paschal High School in Fort Worth summa cum laude in 1958. She attended Texas Christian University on an academic scholarship and received her BA degree magna cum laude in 1962. She was named to Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities. She was a member of Delta Gamma Sorority and honorary fraternities Alpha Chi and Phi Alpha Theta. She worked as an assistant to a senior official at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC and later for the music director at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX. She delighted in learning all the days of her life.

She always maintained a positive spirit, never complaining about the hand she was dealt and always appreciative of each day God gave her, each trip she was able to take, each meal she was able to enjoy, each game and ballet/piano recital she was able to attend. Even in the last few weeks, she would greet a sunny day with her characteristic "It's a GLOOW-ri-ous Day!"

She will be sorely missed. We rejoice in the 73 years we had with her.

Our family would like to thank the many local physicians who guided her on her extraordinary journey and confounded all expectations of what was medically possible: Dr. Scott Ream, Dr. Don Davis, Dr. Jack Moncrief, Dr. Tom Blevins, Dr. Thomas McMinn, and Dr. Tim Hines. We are also deeply grateful to the staff at Moncrief Dialysis, Christopher House, and the many home caregivers who treated her with devotion and compassion.

God bless her many friends and our extended family, all of whom have been so special during this difficult period and throughout her life.

Julie is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Louis Pirkey; daughter Julia Pirkey Stone and husband Gordon, grandsons Theo and Henry Stone of Kennett Square, PA; son Jeff Pirkey and wife Mitzi, grandchildren Isadora, Wynne-Elise and Malcolm Pirkey of Austin, TX; sisters and brothers-in-law Sherry and John Barkman of Brenham, TX; Jan Woodward of Lexington, TX; and Lynda and Dr. Chappell Riise of Ft. Worth, TX; nieces and nephews Kathy, Phil and Courtney DuVal of McKinney, TX; Jennifer Barkman of McKinney, TX; Andy, Tina, Maggie, Louise and Charlotte Woodward of Lexington, TX; Erin and Scott Truho of Austin, TX; and Laura Riise and Cody Riise of Ft. Worth, TX.

Services will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX on Monday, June 2, 2014 at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gladney Center for Adoption in Ft. Worth, TX; the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation; or Covenant Presbyterian Church in Austin, TX.