Julie Joy (Rose) Bartels

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” Dr. Seuss

Julie Joy (Rose) Bartels passed away on April 23, 2024, in Lakewood, WI, surrounded by her family and friends. She fought a good fight, but cancer takes what it wants and gives no quarter.

The time for mourning will come. Though our hearts are heavy, today we celebrate the life of Julie Joy Bartels. To know her was to love her. A true angel on earth. She touched every life she encountered in a meaningful and positive way.

Julie was born in Fairmont MN on November 19,1955, to Robert and Nancy (Mortensen) Rose. The family moved to Green Bay in the fall of 1961. Julie graduated from Green Bay East High School in 1974. She married Richard J. Drew on March 16, 1974, and they had two children together - Jason and Brooke . Julie and Rick eventually went their separate ways, with a final divorce on January 21, 1982.

Never afraid of a challenge, Julie enrolled at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay as a non-traditional student, mother of two, in 1978. She worked her way through school waitressing and tending bar at area restaurants, including The Stein in downtown Green Bay. She graduated in 1982, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration.

While attending UWGB, Julie met the love of her life, Todd Bartels. Excited to start their new lives together, Julie and Todd married on October 8, 1983, a sunny fall day, at the golf course in Lakewood standing on a bridge over the McCaslin Brook. Jason and Brooke assisted with rings and flowers. Todd and Julie spent 41 wonderful years together. They traveled the world visiting Europe, Iceland, Africa, the Caribbean, Central America, and, just this year, South America. But family was always their main focus.

Julie had a long and successful career in the insurance industry, initially working for Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) and then later for Employers Health and American Medical Security (AMS). She ended her career as CEO of the Wisconsin Health Information Organization.

Julie was generous with her love and her light reached far beyond her family and friends. She was a prolific volunteer, mentor, and role model. Her genuine and infectious personality took over every room she entered. Someone once said to her, “Jules, you could have fun inside of a paper bag”. And if you knew her, you know that was true.

Julie enjoyed being active and working in her kitchen perfecting her sour dough bread recipe or making cookies for the people she loved. She had Martha Stewart-like qualities and could produce delicious meals or snacks out of seemingly nothing. Julie found special joy in being at the “cottage” on Wheeler Lake, golfing, swimming, and boating. She also loved snuggling with her little dog, Sophie, in front of the fire with a good book and a glass of wine. What she loved most was spending time with her family and cherished friends.

Julie was a loving wife to her husband Todd. She was a loving parent to her children Jason Drew and Brooke (Drew) Dhuey. Her favorite role was being a grandmother to her five grandchildren. She treasured her time with them more than anything.

Love is not an easy word to define. Nor is loyalty, or trust, or joy. But Julie was all of these. She loved life completely and lived it intensely. It is said that to love another person is to see the face of God. To those of us who loved her, and celebrate her life today, who knew her as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother, we now understand what that means. We also know Julie would add that she was changed for the better because she knew you.

Julie was tough as nails. She learned how to be tough keeping her six siblings in line at an early age. She carried that toughness until the end, fighting pancreatic cancer valiantly for two years.

Julie was preceded in death by her father, Robert Rose. She is survived by her mother Nancy Sweetland, loving husband Todd Bartels, her two children Brooke (Scott) (Drew) Dhuey and Jason (Andrea) Drew, five grandchildren Owen Dhuey, Evan Dhuey, Connor Drew, Anson Drew, and Sienna Drew, six siblings, Randy Rose, Kenton Rose, Bruce Rose, Stewart Rose, Melissa Rose, and Phillip Rose, her faithful dog Sophie, and many nieces and nephews.

Julie's wishes were to be cremated. A celebration of life will be held at McCauslin Golf Course, 17067 Clubhouse Ln., Lakewood, WI, Sunday, July 28, 2024 from 1 to 4 PM. 

In the spirit of her middle name, and all the joy she brought to the world, Julie would want to be celebrated and not mourned. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts to the Julie Bartels Memorial Scholarship at the UW-Green Bay Foundation, 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay, WI 54311 or www.uwgb.edu/give . In the gift designation drop-down menu, please select The Julie Bartels Memorial Scholarship.

Our family would like give special thanks to Unity Hospice. Unity provided excellent and compassionate care in Julie’s final days.

We would also like to provide a special thank you to our dear friends John and Amy Francois for all their help, assistance and friendship during Julie’s journey.

“As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well used brings happy death.” Leonardo DaVinci