Julie Emery Henry

Julie Emery Henry died peacefully at home on August 28, 2020.  She is survived by her adoring husband Bayard, her brother John Emery, and his wife Patsy, and devoted children, Sarah Henry Lederman, Charlie Henry and Snowden Henry, as well as eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.  Julie was born to Mary Carter Emery and Harvey Emery in Ann Arbor, Michigan on December 8, 1934.  She moved to New York City with her family in 1945, where she attended The Brearley School, and graduated from the Master’s School in Dobbs Ferry, New York in 1952.  At Vassar College she majored in history and minored in economics, graduating in 1956.  

Julie and Bayard were married in September 1956. They lived in Boston until 1964, when they moved to Brookline, MA.  An outstanding athlete, keen competitor, and lover of the outdoors, Julie shared her passion for tennis, squash and golf with her children, and grandchildren, as well as her love of skating, skiing, birdwatching and hiking in the White Mountains.  She was an avid gardener, creative and resourceful chef, and accomplished bridge player.  She brought joy and dedication to everything she did.

In 1969, Julie volunteered part-time at in the social service department at Children’s Hospital.  She later joined the staff and worked with families of children with cystic fibrosis. She earned a master’s degree in social work at Simmons College in 1983, and entered a fellowship program at McLean Hospital, but illness cut short this work.  In 1985, she returned to social work at the Faulkner Hospital and later at Children’s Hospital.  In 1991, she received a MPH in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health, and then joined New England SERVE, at the Rhode Island Department of Health, working in a federally funded program to help children with special needs. 

A lifelong advocate of community service, Julie was active in a wide range of organizations.  Her extraordinary leadership skills, wisdom, attention to detail, and generosity led her to serve as President of the Board of Directors of Ellis Memorial; as a trustee of the James Jackson Putnam Children’s Center; as President of the Board of Directors of the North Bennet Street School; as a founding member of Trinity Hospice of Greater Boston; as trustee of the New England Deaconess Hospital; as a director of  CareGroup; as a trustee and director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital; as a member of the Visiting Committee of the Harvard School of Public Health as well as a member of the Dean’s Council, Harvard School of Public Health; and as a trustee and Secretary of the board of trustees, of the Museum of Science in Boston.  Family and friends will always remember her skill at including everyone in the conversation.  

A memorial service will be announced at a later date.  

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