Julie Marie Hegele, of Lee's Summit, Missouri, passed away peacefully on May 6, 2025, at the age of 74, after living with the effects of Multiple Sclerosis for nearly 30 years.

Born on September 19, 1950, in Dover, New Jersey, to Western Wind and Carole Passmore, Julie considered herself a “child of the 60s” and a “citizen of the world.” She graduated from Parsippany High School in 1968 and continued her education at The Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts, graduating in 1971.

Her career as an interior designer began in New York City with early work in furniture sales and residential design. She soon transitioned to commercial interior design where, for 30 years, she brought her artistic vision and practical skills to a wide range of projects, including remodeling churches, designing efficient office spaces, and planning the complex layouts of factories, hospitals, and healthcare facilities. Her notable works included design contributions to an addition to the Toledo Museum of Art, converting a historic 200-year-old gunpowder arsenal into office spaces, and creating a unique dining experience within the former lion enclosures at the Toledo Zoo. She also served as regional secretary for the International Interior Design Association.

Julie’s passion for travel led her to a group tour of the Holy Land in 1979, where she met her husband, Pastor Paul Hegele. Their shared faith and love for exploration resulted in a brief long-distance courtship of only six dates, and they married in 1980. Together, they embarked on a life of service, beginning their ministry at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Toledo, Ohio (1980-2000).

Julie and Paul's family grew with the arrival of their daughter, Christyn, in 1982, and their son, Andrew, in 1986. Their ministry led them to serve congregations in Louisville, KY (Ascension Lutheran Church, 2000-2015), and Newport Beach, CA (Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, 2019-2023). In 2023, Julie and Paul retired to Lee's Summit, MO, to be near their daughter and her family. Julie continued to share her love for travel and faith by joining Paul in leading nine religious tours throughout Europe and the Near East.

Beyond her professional achievements, Julie was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She had a special gift for creating warm and welcoming spaces, not only in her designs but also in her personal life. Julie loved to entertain and had a flair for throwing creative, handmade themed parties for her children and friends, long before the days of Pinterest (which she later embraced, amassing a large following for her meticulously curated design boards). A natural artist with a keen eye for beauty and design, she expressed her talents especially in oil painting, sketching, and her architecturally elegant and consistent handwriting worthy of its own font, a trait she often reminded her children they inherited as her "designer jeans/genes."

Julie is survived by her loving husband, Pastor Paul Hegele; her daughter, Christyn (Hans), and their children, Wes, 12, and Aria, 8; her son, Andrew (Stephanie), and their son, Elliott, 3; and the hundreds whose lives she painted in the hues of faith, hope, and love, through her ministry, her design work, and her roles as mother, wife, and friend.

Julie's life will be celebrated on Sunday, May 25th at noon at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 1200 SW Blue Pkwy, Lee's Summit; and on Sunday, August 31st at noon at Ascension Lutheran Church, 13725 Shelbyville Rd, Louisville, KY 40245.

Memorial gifts in Julie's honor may be made to Lutheran World Relief. Visit tiny.cc/jhegele

for more details.