My father, Milton Julian, turned 92 on February 11, 2010. He is healthy, happy, and still selling clothes to his favorite customers. Milton and Virginia, my parents, live on their farm just south of Hillsborough, NC. Pop is active, and works out three mornings a week at the Duke Center for Living in nearby Durham, NC. Both my parents have been going there for the last 29 years, however my Mom dropped out in 2009. My Mom used to raise horses, as she has since 1960, until her dementia advanced in 2009. 

My Mother's dementia or Alzheimer's Disease has effected a major change in her lifestyle. She is no longer independent, and she has 24/7 skilled care in her house on the farm. My Dad's life is of course very different now. He remains healthy and is still going to Duke Center of Living three mornings a week. Living with my Mother is more challenging, and it's hard on Milton to see his wife's changes. Her caregivers are excellent, and we are thankful for their hard work.

Virginia died on the morning of Monday, May 10. We removed medical care 40 days earlier, not long after moving her to White Oak Manor in nearby Burlington. Virginia needed a higher skill of nursing care, and White Oak Manor was to provide both skilled care along with comfort care. I am happy that Virginia suffers no more. The funeral was Wednesday, May 12th. Here's the obituary that ran, and this is a copy of my section of family comments during the graveside service.

Their house is a 200 year old log cabin that was expanded and renovated in 2005. My brother Bruce's brother in law, Donnie Ellis was the architect for the addition and redesign. The finished and expanded cabin has delightful architectural details that continue to bring a smile to their faces. The cabin's setting is on a hilltop overlooking a spring and creek. The woods around the cabin have never been logged nor farmed. Mom & Pop live on almost 47 acres, and my sister and her family live on the same tract. My mother used to raise horses and stopped working with them after almost 50 years.

Bruce continues our father's business tradition with his own clothing store in Charlotte, Bruce Julian Clothier. I worked with my Dad for 15 years in the men's clothing business. However, I know that my brother is the one who inherited Pop's flair in menswear. Bruce amazes me with his creativity, his positive approach to his business, and he remains a strong force.

Before moving out the country, Milton and Virginia lived in the house we know from growing up there. The location was so close to campus, that as an adult I used to park there and walk to Kenan Stadium for UNC football games. That house was designed for them by the renowned architect, George Matsumoto. Their former house is shown as an example of his work, Julian Residence. When they sold it in 2005, the buyer was very familiar with Matsumoto and with Chapel Hill when he was a grad student here. He was moving back to Chapel Hill to join the faculty. I look forward to see polish applied to that jewel of a house. Moving older parents can be a difficult process in the best of circumstances. Dad and Mom's move was a two step. First they moved to rental house, and then into the "new" cabin about 8 months later. Their relocation to the farm was a wonderful time for them, so much better than their rental house.

Here's a couple of links to recent articles written about them, MR Magazine, Carrboro Citizen, and The Daily Tar Heel. Pop says that the photo that Valarie Schwartz took for her article in the Carrrboro Citizen is one of the best of him and Mom. The March issue of MR Magazine has pictures of Pop's party in Charlotte. It was on February 2nd during the cocktail party at the Menswear Show. Pop had a big cake and everything. Take a look at the photos in MR Magazine..

Below are some current photos of my folks. I took them in early February, 2008. The one of my Dad was taken on his back porch, and the one of Mom and Dad was taken on their front porch. 

 I hope you enjoy "meeting" my folks as much as I have enjoyed them through the years.

These were at their house in January, 2008.

Mom + Kids, around 1959. From left, Mom, Jami

Shannon, Bruce, Andy, Kimi, and Phillip.

Pop's store at 163. E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill around April, 1979.

Milton's Clothing Cupboard was in this location from 1952 to 1992.

 North Carolina beach trip around 1953, from left,  Bruce (about 1 year), Milton (the big one) and Shannon.

From Shirley Davis, taken by her Mom.

A younger Milton Julian, from Bruce's collection. Photo taken in the Coker Arboretum when Milton was a UNC student.