Julie Dandoy was a passionate teacher and gardener — and an inspiring mother.

A longtime teacher at Emily Brittain Elementary School in the Butler School District and member of the Butler Shade Tree Commission, Dandoy died Thursday. She was 63.

Her son, Justin Dandoy, said her love of teaching and gardening influenced his life.

“I model what I do after her and my father. I'm active in my community because of her influence,” said Justin, who lives in Carnegie and works as an administrator at Washington & Jefferson College. “She was always trying to help other people, always trying to have a positive impact. She was a good mother and a good influence because of that.

“I have a garden plot myself. I like being around plants and watching things grow and that's because of my mom. I work in education because of my mom. I tried to model my life after her.”

Dandoy's daughter, Jessica Matonak, also works in education as the executive director of communications and marketing at Butler County Community College.

“My brother and me are incredibly proud of my mother's accomplishments and proud to say we're her children,” Matonak said. “She was loving and supportive and encouraged me to be the best person I can be. I just really hope that I'm like her.

“She was a passionate and selfless and giving person. She was an asset to the community. She had an impact on everything she was involved in.”

Dale Markle, who taught special education with Julie Dandoy and went on to become the principal at the elementary school, said she was a tenacious teacher who held herself and others to a high standard and started an environmental club.

“She was the type of teacher you hoped your own children would have. She spent a copious amount of time, her own time, working for those kids. She never regretted any of it. Her door was always open,” Markle said.

Julie Dandoy was a member of the curriculum committee, which, he said, is the most important committee a teacher could serve on.

“It's the most important committee because that's where you decide what to teach and how to teach. She was heavily invested in that to make sure we were using best practices. She was tenacious. She held herself to a high standard and the rest of us to a high standard,” Markle said.

As the lead teacher, Dandoy stayed after school to work with other teachers and traveled to other schools to work with their teachers, he said.

She custom-fit lessons to meet the needs of students in the special education program.

“She adapted her lessons to each of the children. Kids learn at different paces and she was gifted at that,” Markle said. “She was special. She was a positive force for children. She may be missed, but never forgotten.”

After teaching special education for a number of years, Dandoy became a second-grade teacher, he said.

“As principal, I had no disciplinary problems from her room. Kids that are taught well don't misbehave. She was a good teacher. She engaged parents. She stayed after school to meet them. She made sure they were part of the learning experience,” Markle said. “She just had a keen perception of kids. She knew what made them tick and how to reach them.”

Sherry Lynn, owner of The Atrium and Eisler Landscapes, and a member of the Butler Garden Club, said the club is developing a plan to honor Dandoy, who was a club member and a Penn State Master Gardener. Julie won the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania's “All Around Excellence” award in 2015.

“The club will do something with the shade tree commission in her honor — maybe donate some trees,” Lynn said. “She was a very active member. Invaluable.”

As a City Shade Tree Commission member, Dandoy helped plant trees at the Butler Public Library and along city streets.

“She did so much for the community. She was a wonderful, giving human being. She loved Butler. She would do anything for the community. She was a wonderful friend to a lot of people,” Lynn said.

Lenny Pintell appointed Dandoy to the commission when he was the city's mayor from 2002-05.

“She was so influential for the trees planted on Main Street. Her students planted trees and stuff around school. She was just a remarkable woman,” Pintell said.

He credited her with organizing last year's effort to plant flowers and trees, pull weeds and clean up around the City Building and the Public Safety Building. She also helped plant trees at the eastern end of the Wayne Street Bridge after the bridge was built.

“Everything she did was done to perfection. She was very dedicated to the shade tree commission. She was just a special person. It was a life filled with beauty — nature's beauty,” Pintell said.

Former Mayor Maggie Stock, who succeeded Pintell, said Dandoy was an enthusiastic member of the commission and a great organizer.

“She was very dedicated to working with the Shade Tree Commission. She was great at getting volunteers together. She coordinated a number of beatification and landscaping projects She was very enthusiastic and dedicated. She could really get people energized,” Stock said.

Her knowledge of gardening was an asset to the commission.

“She was a Master Gardener so she knew what kind of plants were going to survive. When I was mayor, I really appreciated the work she did with shade tree — all the flower baskets and the plantings,” Stock said.

“She was the heart and soul of the city Shade Tree Commission,” said former Mayor Tom Donaldson. “There's no pay for that. She didn't do it for Julie, she did it for the city. The Shade Tree Commission won't be the same without her.”

Mayor Ben Smith, who called for a moment of silence at last week's city council meeting to remember Dandoy, said he respected the work she did for the city.

“She's great lady and I always respect the things did. She was involved for a long time. Her commitment and dedication to the city can't be understated,” Smith said.

Dandoy was on the commission for 15 years and also was a member of the city's Neighborhood Pride Committee, said Mindy Gall, city clerk.

“Her service to the city has never been about Julie. The city will feel this loss for a very long time. She lived her life as everyone should want to,” Gall said.

“Anyone who knew her already knows what a beautiful, honest and kind spirit she was. I am blessed to have worked with her through my position in the city, but doubly blessed because she was also my friend for many years.

“As I think about Julie, I keep hearing a phrase that is used in so many eulogies: 'Well done, good and faithful servant. All good things come from God, all good things return to God. Thanks be to God.'”