Jules Stokhof De Jong

Jules (short for Juliaanus) was born in Soest, the Netherlands in 1946, as World War Two came to an end. His family had suffered greatly during the war, with periods of hunger and living underground. He was named after the queen of the Netherlands at the time, Juliana, as every day she biked past the hospital in joyous celebrations of peace.

His parents were master artists and teachers and everyone in his family made art.. and when Jules had to serve for the Dutch Army he became their lead chef and learned that cooking was one of his creative gifts. He then went to school for hospitality and cooking and lived and worked all over Europe, working in different restaurants. While living and cooking in Lugano, Switzerland, he met the love of his life, Devon, who survives him after 53 years of marriage.

Jules was thrilled by the possibility to live in the United States, and loved western movies and American culture. He married Devon and toured around the United States for their honeymoon before settling in Devon‘s hometown of Dallas. It was there that Jules wedding cakes was created and his Café and wedding cake business took off quickly. He used fresh flowers and made elaborate beautiful cakes. He was on TV and in the papers and it was a real sensation.

His first two children, Rembrandt and Saskia were born during this time in Dallas and lived the first part of their childhood there.

One place had always stuck with him though, and he always wanted to move there, and that was the legendary city of Santa Fe. Jules became passionate about oil painting and found himself studying and practicing constantly. He focused on landscapes but painted beautiful still life paintings and portraits that continue to amaze those who enjoy them.

At the age of 46 Jules and Devon discovered they were pregnant with a third child, a boy named Sebastian, completing the family.

He had his own business remodeling and selling houses and was a jack of all trades.

Jules was always very friendly and social and loved engaging with people everywhere he went. People loved him all over the city for his great sense of humor and constant teasing he offered. He was extremely generous, charitable, and open minded. He believed in Jesus yet his church was his garden and the cosmos. He loved pondering the universe and its mysteries, and was passionate about the possibility of alien life. He loved traveling and searching for treasures , especially gourmet mushrooms in the mountains.. and being in nature with his family was all he ever wanted. Not a day will go buy that we won’t miss his big, radiant , and humorous personality.