Julian Joseph Norwalk, 19½, died in an automobile accident on the morning of Jan. 5 in Newcastle.
He was born Sept. 9, 1987, in Boston, Mass., the son of Jay F. Norwalk and Natasha R. Salvo. He lived in Somerville, Mass., and then Newton, Mass.
In 1996 he moved to Newcastle, where he attended Great Salt Bay School and later graduated from Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, class of 2005. At Lincoln he played lacrosse, and participated in music in a variety of ways, playing the guitar and bass. Unquestionably, his favorite sport was snowboarding, which he pursued fanatically at Sugarloaf and impressed many onlookers with his unusual abilities on the slopes.
Julian was accepted in the Music Department at the University of Southern Maine at Gorham, where he began as a freshman in the fall of 2005.
He loved music, especially all variations of modern jazz, and he loved playing the guitar. Besides music, Julian possessed considerable artistic ability, as well as a special gift with people. He immediately put people at ease, including adults, peers, and young children alike. Many quickly developed a special feeling about him, notwithstanding his quirky inner clock. “Time is not my friend,” he occasionally used to confess. Those who knew him agreed best. He was not often angry, and when he was, he forgave almost immediately. He often displayed spiritual depth far beyond his years, and intuitive understanding of a very wide range of people of all ages. He had a broad sense of humor, from ironic to zany and many shades in between.
He was an extremely loving, loyal, and caring son, brother, and friend. He will be sorely missed by all who knew him.
Julian was the great-grandson of the late Rev. Joseph, Sr. and Ramona Sawyer Barth, residents of Alna for more than 50 years; the great-nephew of Nicholas and Sandra Barth of Boothbay, Roland Barth and Barbara Bauman of Alna, Boston, and Tavernier, Fla., Joseph Barth Jr. and Doreen Conboy of Alna, and Benjamin Barth of Wiscasset.
Julian is survived by his mother, Natasha Salvo of Newcastle; father, Jay Norwalk of Newcastle; brother, Simon of Newcastle; maternal grandmother, Vanessa Barth of Bath; maternal grandfather, William Salvo, presently living aboard S/V Cascade, near Bodrum, Turkey; aunt, Susan Makin Salvo of Manchester, Conn.; uncles, Jason Salvo and wife Seiri and Tyler Salvo, all of Seattle, Wash.; and numerous additional relatives in Maine, Connecticut, and elsewhere.
Memorial service 2:30 p.m., Thurs., Jan. 11 at The Second Congregational Church in Newcastle.
In lieu of flowers, etc., please consider donations in Julian’s memory to The Julian Norwalk Memorial Jazz Studies Scholarship Fund, University of Southern Maine School of Music, 37 College Ave., Gorham, ME 04038.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of Strong Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta.
