A memorial for the Jule Collins Museum of Fine Art's namesake was held at the museum on Sunday, Aug. 9, at 2:30 p.m.
Jule Collins Smith passed away June 13 in Houston resulting from complications from pneumonia.
Jule was born in Opelika and raised in Montgomery. She graduated from Hayneville High School when she was 16 years old and went on to attend Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1946, which later became Auburn University. During her time at Auburn, she pledged to Kappa Delta and met her husband, Albert James Smith, Jr.
The Sunday memorial opened with duet performances of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach and "God Bless America" by Irving Berlin.
Auburn University President Jay Gogue was the first to speak at the memorial.
"The story that I think most of us all relate to is the 50th wedding anniversary," Gogue said. "Albert could have gotten [Jule] some new shoes or could have gotten a ring, I don't know, could have gotten her something really nice, but he got her a museum."
The University president said the museum has had a "powerful" impact on the community since it opened its door to the public in 2003. He said it was Jule's passion for the arts that made her want to educate people about it.
"Back in June, I went to the barbershop and got my hair cut, and all the barber could talk about was the daughter had spent the night at the museum ... and even the barber was excited," Gogue said.
Jule's granddaughter, Katherine Smith, also spoke at the memorial. She recalled stories of her parents teller her how they met at Auburn and said she wanted to become a Kappa Delta like her grandmother, who she called Dewey.
"I think it's safe to say that Dewey was a compassionate, generous, stubborn and an abundantly kind woman," Katherine said. "Whether she was telling me why it wasn't ladylike to chew gum or asking if I sang the entire 'Happy Birthday' tune as I washed my hands ... She was always pushing me to be the best version of myself."
Katherine's speech was followed by a video presentation featuring Jule speaking at the site of the soon to be museum.
The final speaker was Marilyn Laufer, director of Jule Collins Museum of Fine Art. Laufer said she admired her charm and generous heart, but said it was her smarts that she admired most.
"I've realized that her name, her spirit, her dream is part of the very fiber of this institution," Laufer said. "When we open the doors each day, we welcome Auburn University students for a class assignment or a group of preschools or a visitor to campus, we do it in her honor."
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