A life well lived: Outdoorsman Randy Julius shared his passion for art, writing, music
EAST BRIDGEWATER – One day, Randy Julius might have been hanging out with his friends at the Cedar Gun Club in Halifax, trading hunting stories and tips on sighting ducks.
The next day, he could have dropped by the Norwell Garden Club, sharing his knowledge of wildflowers and native plants.
A few days later, you'd find him painting children's faces with Native American pigments and showing his arrowhead collection at a Soule Farm festival in Middleboro.
"Randy was an outdoorsman, artist, writer and musician, but he also did a lot for free for many different groups," his longtime friend Jim Smith, of Plymouth, recalled.
Julius, an East Bridgewater resident, who died unexpectedly at age 71 in 2019 after a long struggle with Lyme disease, was honored Saturday, April 23 at the Plymouth County League of Sportsmen's annual banquet.
His wife of 46 years, Mary, received the league's annual Lifetime Achievement Award in his name from league President Paul Johnson, of Carver.
It has been more than two years since his death, but feelings are still close to the surface. Julius took his own life after a long battle with the tick-borne illness. He had contracted Lyme disease several times from being outdoors and was diagnosed with Babesiosis, which is caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells and are spread by certain ticks.
Johnson said Julius was multi-talented, "an avid hunter, fisherman, artist, musician, son, husband, brother and, to more than a few, a friend."
"Randy turned those experiences into a lifetime of advocacy for conservation and outdoor recreation. He was an outdoor writer, a talented artist and musician who leveraged all his skills to advance fish and wildlife conservation. Tonight, we recognize those achievements," Johnson said.
Julius wrote a weekly column called "Outdoors" for The Brockton Enterprise beginning in 1992 with stories about nature, fishing and hunting.
His weekly fishing report Fish Finder, published in The Enterprise and The Patriot Ledger, was highly popular.
"His passion for wildlife and outdoor recreation of all types was infectious," Johnson said.
Julius was president of the New England Outdoor Writers Association from 1997 to 1998 and again from 2008 until his death.
During that time, Johnson said, one of his missions was to enhance public awareness, appreciation and understanding of fish and wildlife in New England. In 2003, he received the association's Dick Cronin Sportsman of the Year award.
"Randy loved to share his passion for the outdoors with others, whether it was through his artwork, outdoor columns or lecturing," Mary Julius said after the event. "He was an inspiration to many."
Losing a gem: "We lost a gem," Paul Johnson said. "He represented the best of us."
She described her late husband as her best friend. They had hunted together for years and were active in the Outdoor Writers Association's Scholarship Fund. The fund awards annual scholarships to a student in each of the six New England States. More than 200 scholarships have been awarded in the last 50 years.
"My favorite part of the evening was when a young man came up to tell me how years ago, Randy took him turkey hunting and helped him to get his first bird, and how much that experience meant to him," Mary Julius said. "I hope we can carry on Randy's legacy by taking the time to inspire and teach others about the outdoors."
Johnson described Julius' artistic achievements as "standouts." He designed the Massachusetts Waterfowl Stamp eight times, more than any other artist, starting in 1979 and in 1982, 1983, 1985, 1992, 2000, 2006 and 2011.
He also designed the 1991 archery and primitive arms stamp, a license issued by the state for hunters, and the first Massachusetts Wildlands stamp in 1993. He donated his artwork to raise money for conservation causes.
In addition to his wife, family members at the event included his 95-year-old father, Jack, his brothers Dale, Glen and Barry, his sister Lisa Troy and nephews.
Julius had been a guitarist in the band Dale and the Duds with his brother Dale. The band has performed classic rock for nearly 50 years throughout New England at concerts, weddings and other events.
He also gave talks and seminars on turkey hunting and other outdoor subjects.
He was a 1966 graduate of East Bridgewater High School and attended the Art Institute of Boston, but left college to buy a hunting camp in Maine. For more than 50 years, he enjoyed the time he spent at the camp with his bird dogs and hunting with his family and friends.
As his friends said, "Everyone gets 24 hours in the day. Randy just chose to do more with it."
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This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: The late writer Randy Julius is honored by Plymouth County Sportsmen
