Julia Christine Hansen

Julia (Julie) Christine Hansen, 58, of Marion, Iowa, passed away on November 23rd, 2024. A memorial service was held at 2 pm on Sunday, December 1st, 2024, at Rosedale Park Event Center. Immediately following the service, friends and family were invited to celebrate her life. Julie was born on July 25th, 1966, in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Herb and Betty Hesler. She graduated from Wentzville High School in 1984, University of Missouri with a Bachelor's in Fine Arts and Communications in 1994, and Baker University with a Master's of Science in Management in 2003. Julie served in various leadership roles throughout her career at Transamerica and Aegon. Later in life, she continued to serve her community as a substitute teacher in the Linn-Mar Community School District, a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), and Vice President of the Board of Directors for Friends of CASA. Passionate about justice for the children in her community, as a CASA, Julie represented countless children facing difficult and uncertain times. In 2020, being transformed by the gospel, Julie served faithfully as a member of Veritas Church Cedar Rapids. Above all else, Julie was a passionate, intentional, and proud sister, mother, wife, grandma, and friend. She went above and beyond in each of these roles, dedicating herself to love, sacrifice, and invest in the lives of those she loved. In 2008, she met the love her life, Paul Hansen, at a Cedar Rapids Kernel's game where they enjoyed many summer nights together with their friends. They were married on August 31st, 2013, and enjoyed 11 beautiful years of marriage together as they raised their 4 daughters. Most recently, Julie soaked in every second of being a proud grandmother of 3, spending much of her free time traveling to spoil them in any way she could. An avid traveler, Julie treasured any opportunity to explore new destinations with her family and friends. In every season of her life, she chose joy and really believed "it's all about the experience". She is survived and preciously remembered by her husband, Paul Hansen; her two daughters, Ashley Chicchelly (Camden) of Kansas City, Kansas and Ally Sloterdyk (Luke and Jozafina) of Nairobi, Kenya; her two 'bonus children', Lily Matheny (Jordan, Mason, and Emiline) of Omaha, Nebraska and Isa Hansen (Preston Peddicord) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; her father, Herbert Hesler of Saint Peters, Missouri; three siblings, Jolene Arevalo (Mark, Jenna, and Jesse) of O'Fallon, Missouri, Lauren Parko (Jim) of St. Louis, Missouri, and Zachary Hesler (Ally Troiano) of St. Louis, Missouri. Julie was preceded in death by her mother, Betty Hesler. In lieu of flowers, Julie's family is asking all generosity to be directed toward her favorite organization, Friends of Iowa CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates), of which she served as Vice President of the Board of Directors. To send a memorial gift to Friends of Iowa CASA please visit this link: https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/iowacasafriends?code=main%20website