STOCKBRIDGE – Memorial golf tournaments are more than just a competition on the green; they are an opportunity to honor and memorialize loved ones while enjoying a sport that brings people together.
A ladies’ golf tournament was held at Stockbridge Golf Club on Saturday in honor of Julie Rathbun.
On Saturday, a cordial ladies’ tournament was organized at the Stockbridge Golf Club to honor and commemorate the life of Julie Rathbun, a native of Great Barrington.
Event organizer Kim Obanhein played a key role in organizing the tournament, ensuring that Julie’s living legacy was honored in the community and providing participants with a meaningful opportunity to come together in remembrance.
“Julie was a very good friend to a lot of women here at Stockbridge Golf Club. She ran our night league, so on Thursday nights, a lot of women would get together and play golf,” Obanhein said. “Julie was kind of the heart and soul of Ladies’ Night. We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs, and I’ve been running this tournament for a couple of years now. After Julie’s death last October, we thought, ‘What better way to celebrate her life than to gather her friends and family together and do something she loved, in a place she loved.'”
Julie, her high school sweetheart Dave and their children played at Stockbridge Golf Club as children.
“My mother was funny,” said Jodi Rathbun, Julie’s daughter. “She never said a bad word about anyone. Her smile lit up the room no matter where she was.”
A total of 31 teams took part. Since last year, the number of participants in the tournament has doubled, from 60 to over 120.
The team of Deborah Bloom, Judy LaValle, Deborah Patten and Marie Regan was the gross winner with a score of 58.
A ladies’ golf tournament was held at Stockbridge Golf Club on Saturday in honor of Julie Rathbun.
The team consisting of Marion Hyde, Jen Race, Vicki Richardello and Fran Vandermeer won with a score of 58.
“It is always a great honor to participate in a golf tournament or in memory of someone we know or know about,” Bloom said.
A portion of the tournament proceeds will be donated to Hospice Care of the Berkshires in memory of Julie.
“It was really important to all of us to feel like we were doing something positive in Julie’s memory,” Dave said. “The hospice has been so good to our family that it was really important to us to donate.”
The Stockbridge Golf Club Ladies Open Scramble will be held annually in Julie’s honor.
“To hold this event in honor of my mother is just a great honor. It’s a great opportunity to continue doing something she loved in a place she loved,” said Jodi.
