Julie Anne Owen, 53, of Greendale, Ind., passed away Thursday, July 22, 2021, at St. Elizabeth Dearborn Hospital, Lawrenceburg, Ind.
She was born Aug. 8, 1967, in La Porte, Ind., to Timothy Neary and Sylvia Thode.
Julie worked in housekeeping at The Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky. She was a lifetime member of the Ark Encounter and The Creation Museum, and also a member of Planet Fitness.
Julie enjoyed exercising and particularly loved to hike, dive and cycle. She enjoyed sewing, baking bread, taking road trips and adventuring. Julie loved to serve others, especially her family, for whom she loved doing parties.
On Aug. 1, 1992, in La Porte, she married Thomas Jay Owen, who survives.
Also surviving are her children, Joktan Owen of La Porte, Japheth (Heather) Owen of Burlington, Ky., Isaiah (Hannah) Owen of La Porte, Elijah (Liz) Owen of Valparaiso, Ind., Chloe (Russell) Rivas Palacios of Mesa, Ariz., Rutheva (Takaya) Owen-Konishi of Ikoma, Japan, Hephzibah Owen of La Porte, Naomi Owen of Greendale, and Esther Owen of Greendale; 5 grandchildren, Francis, Lucy, Eliseus, Vivianna and Adonis; mother, Sylvia Thode; siblings, Jennifer (Tim) Neary-Kluska of La Porte, John Neary of La Porte, Joel Neary of Elkhart, Ind., and Thomas Drnek II of La Porte; in-laws, Larry and Mary Owen, Sr., of La Porte; stepmother, Lisbeth Neary of Bedford, Ind.; great-uncle, Don Bowman of La Porte; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father, Timothy Neary; maternal grandparents, Carl and Kathryn Thode; and paternal grandparents, Charles and Loretta Neary.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 3, at First Church of God, La Porte, with Pastor Jeff Zigler officiating. Visitation will be held at the church Monday, Aug. 2, from 4 to 8 p.m., and Tuesday from 10 a.m. until the service.
Memorial donations may be made to The Creation Museum and AiG-US Headquarters, 2800 Bullittsburg Church Rd., Petersburg, Ky. 41080; or La Porte County Right to Life, P.O. Box 9404, Michigan City, Ind. 46361-9404.
Messages of condolence may be posted below.