Julie Ann Raskauskas of Carmel, Indiana, was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, on January 3, 1964. She was born to Patricia Stein and John Woods of Washington, D.C., and adopted as an infant by Bernard Raskauskas and Peggy Marple. In 1998, Julie was reunited with her birth mother through the efforts of Catholic Charities of Fort Wayne.
As a child, Julie was introduced to the drums by her cousin, Rick Wilcoxen, and her life was forever changed. She took great pride in her musical experiences at Carmel High School, where she played drums in the marching, pep, wind, spirit, and jazz bands. She also served as a DJ for the award-winning student radio station, WHJE. Julie studied music at Ball State University before ultimately graduating from Vincennes University with a degree in broadcasting.

Following graduation, Julie performed with several bands, including Jule Box, where she also served as lead singer, Next Step, as well as a cruise ship band alongside her dear friend David Tanner. Her passion for music and love of spinning records naturally led her into radio, where she became a familiar voice at Indianapolis station WENS and at stations throughout Southern Indiana. She later worked at several radio stations on both the East and West Coasts, including multiple in California, using the on-air name “Julie Michaels”—a tribute to one of her favorite teachers, Mr. D. Michael Blue.
Julie approached work as an adventure and embraced a variety of careers, including sales, Toyota logistics, and even cooking for an independent living facility. Ultimately, she stepped away from those pursuits to take on the role that meant the most to her: caring for her mother, Peggy, during the final ten years of her life. This chapter concluded only shortly before Julie’s own illness was diagnosed.
Julie was a lifelong admirer of Glen Campbell and had the joy of meeting him on multiple occasions. In one especially memorable moment, Glen signed the glovebox of Julie’s prized 1967 Pontiac convertible—a keepsake she expertly removed and reinstalled herself to preserve his autograph.
Blessed with a brilliant mind, an extraordinary memory, and wonderfully quirky humor, Julie delighted friends with hilarious and highly detailed retellings of school pranks and band camp antics from the Carmel High School Class of 1982. She loved adventure and was an enthusiastic participant in the WNAP raft races, where contestants built their own flotation devices. Julie also had a mischievous fondness for “relocating” barricades, taking spontaneous road trips, and enjoying celebrations in her adopted hometown of Poseyville, Indiana.
Julie often recounted her remarkable brushes with death—including surviving a mugging, a plane crash, and a serious car accident—with gratitude and amazement that she had walked away from each. In the end, however, cancer became her greatest adversary, and she passed away on May 4, 2026.
Julie believed deeply in science, and her own suffering strengthened her resolve to help others. In keeping with those values, she chose to donate her body to cancer research at Indiana University’s Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center, hoping her final act might contribute to future discoveries in small cell lung cancer research.
Julie was preceded in death by her mother, Peggy; father, Bernard; stepfather, Robert Marple; and many beloved pets, especially Cecil, Lucy, Zayda, Phoenix, Chickabee, and the legendary Holly Holly Bitch Kitty.
She is survived by her brother, John Raskauskas; birth mother, Patricia; stepmother, Marsha Raskauskas; stepsisters, Maureen Roberts and Denise McLaughlin; her devoted canine companion, BG (short for Robert Goulet); and many dear lifelong friends.
Julie was grateful for the work of F3+R, a Carmel-based 501(c)(3) organization that raises funds for cancer research. Their efforts helped provide funding for her genetic testing and a specialized treatment that targeted the genetic driver of her cancer. In addition, Julie frequently commended her devoted and exceptional oncologist, Dr. Misty Shields.
Julie lived with spunk, humor, determination, and originality. She wished to be remembered for how she lived, not how she died, which informed her decision not to have a funeral or memorial service. Those wishing to honor Julie’s life may do so by donating to F3+R, any cancer research organization or by adopting a shelter animal.