V.A. "Sonny" Julian

Virgil Alexander (Sonny) Julian, Jr. of Independence, MO died at the age of 86 at John Knox Village, Lee’s Summit, MO on Friday, February 27, 2015. Born on May 17, 1928 as the eldest son of Virgil Alexander Julian, Sr. and Alice May Crane Ek, Sonny lived his life in the town of his birth - Independence. He shared his childhood with two younger brothers - Barry Julian (deceased) and Richard (Skip) Julian. Sonny attended Bristol Elementary School and Northeast Senior High School, graduating in June, 1945.

It was on July 2, 1945 that Sonny joined the U.S. Naval Reserve as an Aviation Cadet in the V-5 Program. He served at Great Lakes Naval Facility wherein began his love affair with hats. He also attended KS State College in Pittsburg and Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, courtesy of the Navy. While he was discharged on December 25, 1946, he continued in the Active Naval Reserve until December 25, 1951.
By 1948, the charming Bettie Jean Culp, of Independence, had captured his heart. She became his life-long bride on June 5 of that year at the First Presbyterian Church in . . . yes, Independence. Together they raised four children - Greg, Wayne, Samantha and Cindy – along with a handful of rogue neighborhood kids a collection of clever cats.

Perhaps due in large part to working with his Attorney-at-Law father for many years, Sonny especially appreciated using his cognitive facility to engage the world. His education at K.C. Junior College and UMKC focused on Economics and Accounting, which marked the beginning of a life-long love affair with numbers and money - from CPA Certification in Missouri and Kansas to decades of tax preparation; from Apprenticeship at Sinderson, Henning & Mueller to Controller at Chrysler Corporation; from teaching at UMKC to handling IRS audits; from General Partner of Mid-America Cinema to investing in Jackson County Cable Systems - Sonny genuinely loved helping those around him thrive. Finally, in 1962, he opened his own CPA Practice where he was joined by his wife, Bettie, until her death in January, 2009.

Over the years, Sonny participated in national professional organizations, such the AICPA, as well as local community associations such as MS/CPA MAP Committee, Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Boy Scouts of America (Tribe of Mic-O-Say), Independence City Planning & Zoning Commission, Sunshine Center, Voluntary Action Center of Eastern Jackson County, KMOS TV Advisory Board at CMSU, and the Community Welfare Service League. He was a co-founder of the Independence Square Benefit District, the Bingham-Waggoner Historical Society and MS/CPA Management of Accounting Practice Committee. With all of these very heady experiences in his day-to-day life, he was fortunate to also be a member of the Masons as well as the Churches of North America Fellowship, both of which supported his sense of spiritual balance.

Sonny is survived by his children: Greg Julian, Wayne & Cathy Julian, Samantha St. Julian, and Cindy Julian; his brother: Richard Julian; his grandchildren: Ali (Julian) & Troy Thompson, Torey Julian, Gabrielle Julian; and his great-grandchildren: Ashton Elliott, Chase Speidel and Baby Kyle Thompson due in April.
Sonny’s Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 14th at 4:00 pm at Carson- Speaks Chapel, 1501 W. Lexington Avenue, Independence, MO.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Bingham-Waggoner Historical Society, 313 W Pacific Avenue, Independence, MO 64050. Sonny would also be honored if each day you generated at least one random act of kindness.

Online condolences may be left at www.speakschapel.com.