One last love note: 360 billboards of Julia Reagan stand in her honor across the country

SALT LAKE CITY – You’ve probably noticed the billboards on the side of I-15 or along city roads dedicated to Julia Reagan. They stand out because they aren’t selling anything. 

They read “In Loving Memory of Julia Reagan.” Her name is in huge letters and in smaller print, “Our Loving Wife, Mother and Grandmother.” Other versions read: “We will miss you.”

The billboards are one final love note from her husband of 58 years – the man who owns the largest billboard company in Utah. Bill Reagan put up 60 billboards in Julia’s honor in Utah. He placed 300 more billboards in Julia’s honor in every market where Reagan Outdoor Advertising operates.

Bill said seeing them when he drives around picks him up and helps him deal with the grief.

The billboards went up shortly after Julia’s sudden death on June 12. 

@kslnewsradio You’ve probably seen the billboards around Utah. Well, they are the final love note to Julia Reagan from her husband. Get full story here: kslnewsradio.com/2117970 #lovestory❤️ ♬ original sound – KSL NewsRadio

 

“I kissed her goodnight the night before but I never really had a chance to say goodbye to her,” Bill said. “And so now she’s right on the board so I can say goodbye every time I see one.”

Julia met her husband when she was 23. Bill was three years younger. 

They met the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 1965. They eloped a few weeks later on the day after Christmas.

“We went on four dates, and on our fifth date, we eloped”

Bill and Julia decided to drive to San Francisco on Christmas night in 1965. They stopped in Reno along the way to get married at the courthouse. 

“When we got there, we went to the courthouse,” Bill said. “It said it was only open from 10 to 11. And I said, ‘Oh my Lord, dear, we’ve missed it by five minutes. It’s 11:05.’ She says ‘No…we’re in California. It says it’s five minutes after 10.’ So we got married. And we were married till the day she died.”

Three days after returning from their trip, they had another ceremony with a Rabbi whom Julia’s father had called up. 

Two peas in a pod

They met at a dance where Bill was a wingman for a friend trying to court Julia’s sister. When he saw Julia, Bill knew he had to ask her for a dance, which led to another dance and then a few more throughout the night. 

Dancing remained a staple in their relationship. For the last 20 or so years, the Reagans were members of a dance club, always staying until the last song. Bill said they were two peas in a pod. 

The night before they eloped they went out to dinner and both ordered liver and onions “Funny, you know.” He said there were other signs that they were meant to be, like the last four digits of her social security number matching with his birthday.

Julia was a Ph.D. student in anatomy at the University of Utah. Bill had just started Reagan Outdoor Advertising. With hardly any money to their names, they went on to build the company, having four children along the way.

Their youngest son died about 17 years ago. The rest of their children now work for the family business. 

Bill said despite being “painfully shy,” Julia would find causes that she cared about and write checks to support them. She worked with the Assistance League, the Women’s Legislative Council, the Rape Crisis Center and the National Council of Jewish Women to name a few.

“Half of me – maybe more is gone”

Since Julia’s sudden death, Bill feels like he’s lost a piece of himself. 

“We were married 58 and a half years, which were wonderful. We never were ever estranged. We’d have plenty of disagreements – resolved every one of them,” Mr. Reagan said. “We had a very good life – very happy – wonderful children, wonderful grandchildren, wonderful business, so it’s just I feel totally lost.”

Her death came as a shock. They had just returned from the Mayo Clinic where Julia got a clean bill of health and then died of a heart attack. The medical examiner is still investigating the cause.

Bill moved to Utah about nine months before he met his wife, who had lived in the state most of her life.

Julia was Reagan’s rudder, he said. He lost his guidance. But he still has the memories and the billboards.

They’ll run for two months. He said they’ve brought him so much joy seeing them, that he plans on running a birthday board for her next year, around Halloween. 

Bill said he never discussed putting up billboards with his wife. Admitting that Julia was very shy, he jokes that he’ll have to pray for forgiveness for putting her face on billboards all over America.

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