Julie Madison Gaillard Suk was born in Mobile, Alabama on March 18, 1924, to parents, Samuel Palmer Gaillard, Jr. and Mary Florence Hollingsworth. She passed away peacefully on October 9, 2025, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her life was enriched by her family and numerous beloved friends, considered as extended family. With them she enjoyed exploring the mountains, trails and waterfalls of North Carolina, her adopted state. She also enjoyed bridge, music, traveling, and her poetry group.
Julie attended Stephens College in Missouri and the University of Alabama, where she pledged Kappa Delta sorority.
She is the prize-winning author of six volumes of poetry. "Angel of Obsession" won the University of Arkansas Poetry Competition, the Roanoke-Chowan Award and was on the short list for the Poet's Prize. "The Dark Takes Aim" won the Brockman-Campbell Award and the Oscar Young Award. Her other poetry books include "The Medicine Woman", "Heartwood", "Lie Down With Me", and "Astonished To Wake. She was co-editor of “Bear Crossings, an Anthology of North American Poets" and a managing editor of "Southern Poetry Review". Julie was awarded the Irene Honeycutt Lifetime Achievement Award from Central Piedmont Community College and was a recipient of Bess Hokin Award from POETRY magazine.
Julie was preceded in death by her husband, William Joseph Suk; her son, Palmer Gaillard Suk; and her step-brother, Clifton Clarke Inge. She is survived by her step-sister, Vaughan Inge Morrissette; her daughter, Julie Suk Whiting; son, William Gaillard Suk; five grandchildren, Wythe Lawler Whiting IV (Heather) of Lexington, VA, Palmer Gaillard Whiting (Casey) of Mobile, AL, Palmer Gaillard Suk, Jr. of Richmond, VA, Chandler Harris Suk of Tempe, AZ, and Diana Madison Suk of New York, NY; five great-grandchildren, Julian Wythe Macalister, Margaret Jane “Maisie” Whiting of Virginia, Palmer Gaillard Whiting, Jr., Lois “Loie” Corinne Whiting, and Laura Katherine Whiting of Mobile, AL.
We want to express our sincere thank you to the caregivers at Brighton Gardens of Charlotte, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Charlotte Museum of Nature, 1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte, NC 28209, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Mobile, AL or any charity of choice.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at 11:00 with visitation following the service. Condolences may be offered at www.radneyfuneralhome-mobile.com.
