Julie Goodwin Courage, my dear friend who has passed away at the age of 44 due to ovarian cancer, will always be remembered as an exceptional teacher and an inspirational figure in her personal life. She taught new media at Halesowen College, where her innovative teaching methods, such as matching individual students with software to enhance their creative ideas with ease, helped double the college’s enrollment in media studies and led her students towards fulfilling their dreams.
Julie Goodwin was born in Thetford, Norfolk, and moved to Reading, Berkshire, in 1979 when her father’s job relocated them. She later attended the University of Exeter in 1986 following which she traveled and met her future husband Gareth Courage (Tash) in Israel. After a decade of adventuring, she pursued her passion for teaching by acquiring a teaching degree from Wolverhampton University and finally making her way to Halesowen.
My first encounter with Julie was at a breastfeeding support group where she expressed her dedication to giving her son Max the best possible start in life. After a difficult start, she persisted with her breastfeeding efforts and even went on to successfully support other women with their breastfeeding journeys. Her steadfast spirit proved vital when her daughter, Polly, was born with a cleft palate and couldn’t breastfeed. Julie continued to express milk for Polly for a year and a half.
Julie had a charming yet modest home life with Tash, but they always had their doors open for friends and family. They enjoyed entertaining guests, chatting over endless cups of tea and indulging in Tash’s exceptional cooking skills. Their home became a haven for exhausted parents with a shared love and passion for children.
Tash became the primary caregiver for Julie during her 18 months of illness. When Julie first went into the hospital, Max created a picture of all her favorite things as a get-well gift consisting of tea, chocolate, cherries, stripes, rainbows, babies, and cats.
Julie’s memory will forever remain in our hearts as a nurturing and appreciative soul who saw the beauty in life’s simplest things. Julie is survived by Tash, Max, and Polly, her parents, Paul and Gwen, as well as her two loving sisters, Melanie and Lucy.
