Julie Catherine Kostohryz Rowe, loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, teacher, and friend, died unexpectedly on December 6th , 2020 at the age of 41.
Julie was born in Dallas on November 4th , 1979 to John and Jeanette Kostohryz. She lived in Benbrook, Texas, with her husband, Kyle Rowe, and three children: Brinley (8), Blake (6), and Brett (3).
She attended St. Patrick Catholic Grade School and Bishop Lynch High School where she was class president for 4 years, graduating in 1998. Julie entered the University of Oklahoma on a presidential leadership scholarship, was a member of the Chi Omega sorority and graduated with a degree in Broadcast Journalism in 2002. Inspired by her mother's teaching career, in 2004 Julie changed paths to pursue teaching elementary school students, which was clearly her calling all along. Julie taught at Alice Contereras, Rosemont, The Leadership Academy at Mitchell Boulevard, and Westpark Elementary schools. She earned "Teacher of the Year" awards twice and was deeply loved by both students and her colleagues.
Julie enjoyed raising her children, interacting with her friends, cooking, and vacationing with her family. Julie was an avid sports fan, excelling in basketball from an early age through high school, and she loved the Oklahoma Sooners and the Dallas Mavericks. If you ask any of her friends, they will tell you that she was "kind, joyful, purposeful, prayerful, and always uplifting." She was also life-giving, even to the end, as many of her organs were donated to those in need, something she requested to be done at her passing.
Julie is survived by her husband, and their three children; her parents; brother, John Kostohryz (Linda); sister, Jennifer Penwell (Josh) and their daughters, Rylie and Molly; sister, Jill Marshall and her sons, Jackson and Tyson; her in-laws, Susan and Ken Mazan and Kyle's siblings, Kristin Fitzhugh and sons Ryan and Jake; Kelly Rowe (Julie) and daughter Allison and son Will; Kevin Rowe (Beth) and son Liam; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Julie was preceded in death by her grandparents, George and Josephine Kostohryz; Harold and Mary Eskridge; beloved cousins, Kristin Kostohryz and Bobby Merritt.
Due to COVID-19, a celebration of Julie's life will be delayed until sometime in 2021. In lieu of flowers, for immediate assistance to the Rowe family, contributions may be made to the "Kyle Rowe Family" and mailed to Southside Bank, Attention: Mr. Chad Kerr, 1320 South University, Ste 100, Fort Worth, Texas 76107, or by clicking on the following link: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/e805n1.
For an enduring legacy to support Julie's love for education, please donate in Julie's memory to the Julie Rowe Education Fund, established under the non profit Fort Worth Educational Partnership, at their address: 1504 College Ave., Ft. Worth, Texas, 76104. Please be sure to designate your tax deductible contribution to the "Julie Rowe Education Fund."