Cumbria lost a larger than life character with the death of retired businesswoman Julie Prior, formerly of Penrith and latterly living in Allonby, near Maryport, aged 62
Born and raised in Penrith, Julie was the daughter of Keith and Wendy Sharp. She had a sister, Jackie. The family also lived at Little Salkeld for around six
years.
As a youngster, Julie enjoyed horse riding, art and parties — many of which she hosted, then and also later in life. She studied at Carlisle College of Art and then at Gwent, in Wales, for a couple of years.
It was in 1981 that she married Stephen Prior. The couple went on to have two daughters, Annabel and Katarina.
Having moved back to the Eden area, in the 1980s they ran Julie’s Cellar and Emporium — an outrageous joke shop located in Penrith’s Little Dockray. During this period she played a leading role in a campaign to have Little Dockray paved.
In 1986 she invented an adult board game called Orgy which was promoted by comedian Frankie Howerd and sold around the world.
Stephen and Julie went on to set up and run a public relations firm called Julie Prior Associates which was based in Queen Street, Penrith. It was known for staging flamboyant events such as pressure washing an elephant, race car stunts and appearances by stars from the ITV show Gladiators.
Julie also organised many local events, including street parties, Christmas lights switch-ons, flower fairs and networking meetings.
Her talent for getting people together saw her set up the Juniper Singles Club, which she was proud to say resulted in five marriages.
Another area in which Julie applied her energy and flamboyance was raising money for good causes. One of these was the Royal Marsden Hospital — the world’s first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education — which benefited to the tune of more than £1 million from her efforts.
Some of her fundraising events for the charity featured on the front pages of the national press, helping put Penrith on the map. She was also the first woman to join Carlisle Rotary Club.
After retiring from business life she moved to the seaside village of Allonby, where she lived for nine years.
She was a member of the village’s Pints and Pencils art club and became involved in many community events, including art exhibitions and the annual dook in the Solway to see in the new year.
She also loved being on the beach with her two granddaughters, Harriet and Lucy.
However, she retained a keen interest in the Penrith area and offered her help when the future of the Herald was in doubt. She was also a huge support to her daughters who both entered the world of marketing and events too.
She passed away peacefully with family by her side after sharing stories, laughs and champagne. They will always remember her for being passionate, charismatic, creative — and just a bit bonkers!
The family will be hosting a celebration of Julie’s life at the Heather Glen Country House, Ainstable, on Sunday, June 25, from 2.30pm. They would like people to join them, wearing their brightest attire, to share stories and happy memories.
