Julie-An Wright

Julie-An Wright of Winnetka lost her battle to cancer on October 25, 2019. Though she only spent 60 years gracing this beautiful earth, her vibrant memory will undoubtedly grace it for many years more.

Julie-An was born on May 28, 1959, in Libertyville, to Ingeborg Haley (née Schmidt), a German immigrant, and Rodney H. Wright, FAIA, a respected Chicago architect. She grew up in one of her father’s famed “passive solar” homes near Lake Minear in Libertyville.

Eventually, Julie-An moved to Phoenix with her mother and brother, where she finished school. During visits to Chicago, she also spent many happy days in northern Wisconsin — at their two hundred-acre farm in Osseo, WI, which she simply referred to as “the farm.” Soon after graduating, she set her sights on the advertising industry — and never let up. During high school, she got a job in commercial printing, operating presses and stripping color, and began working as a graphic designer, performing branding and identity work for local agencies and clients alike.

Her dreams were bigger, however, and Julie-An soon moved with her son, Joshua, to Chicago to work for one of the top advertising agencies in the world: Leo Burnett. The only problem? They hadn’t offered her a position. But this was Julie-An, a woman who never let anything stand in her way. So, without a job or residence, and as the single mother of a 5-year-old, she risked everything to pursue her passion. She was 28 years old.

Upon arriving in Chicago, Julie-An worked at a few agencies, but kept her eyes trained on Leo Burnett. She wrote a reminder on her calendar to cold call the same hiring manager on a regular basis. He thought she would get tired; she never did. Some months later, he gave her an interview.

Julie-An’s rise through the ranks at Leo Burnett surprised everyone but herself. It was as with everything she did; once she set her mind to it, she accomplished it. At times, it almost seemed like she spoke things into fruition. But the truth was a little less mystical: She was passionate and dedicated, and gave everything to her career for the sake of her son.

In the early 2000s, Julie-An retired from Leo Burnett. She spent the remaining decades of her life savoring everything she had missed while she was working. She took time to smell the flowers — and also to paint them. She went for walks and bike rides, did the crossword, and spent many afternoons at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Every Sunday, she made scrambled eggs for her beloved dog, Elliot. She took her granddaughters up and down the slide as many times as they wanted.

Julie-An was a deeply spiritual woman, and her faith was one of the strongest undercurrents of her life. She was extremely thoughtful and generous, and managed to make a difference no matter where she went. During her battle with cancer, for example, she regularly handed out flowers to the other patients and, in an unprecedented move, held a fundraiser for the facility at which she was a patient. No one who knew her would have expected anything less.

That’s because Julie-An was a warrior. She was fiercely loyal, courageous, stubborn, unwavering in her beliefs. She loved to joke that her name was apt — she was, indeed, always “Wright.” She was meticulous and organized, whether it was in regard to her clothing or her career (and especially her hair). To the close circle of people who composed her world, she will be remembered as quirky, joyful, fun-loving, and kind. A woman whose laugh could light up a room; a beautiful soul who lived off hope until the very end.

Julie-An was predeceased by her father, Rodney H. Wright, FAIA. She is survived by her mother, Ingeborg Haley; her son, Joshua Lintz (Keri) and granddaughters, Aspen Olivia and Jules Mari; her brother, Weston Wright (Janice); and nephew, Ian Wright.

Services will be held in the spring; details will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, her family has asked for in-memoriam donations to NorthShore Kellogg Cancer Center.