BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Julie Ellen Clucas, 65, of Brooklyn, NY, died September 7, 2024 in Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY. Born in DeKalb on July 20, 1959, she grew up in Creston and graduated from Rochelle Township High School in 1977.

She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in drawing and printmaking from Drake University in Des Moines, IA; a Master of Arts Degree in Drawing from Northern Illinois University, and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Art Media Studies and Video Research from Syracuse University, NY.

After completing school, she moved to Greenwich Village where, on Sept. 11, 2001 she witnessed the nearby destruction of the World Trade Center towers.

A free-lance writer, producer and designer, she conceptualized promotions and campaigns for clients including CBS, A&E, ESPN, PBS, TruTV, and The History Channel. For CBS, projects included campaigns for World Cup Skiing, the Tour de France and Equestrian Sports, as well as for CBS College Sports Men’s and Women’s “March Madness”. For ESPN, she produced campaigns for its Sunday NFL Countdown show and designed special graphics for championship games including the Super Bowl.

As a full-time staff member of the National Geographic Channel for more than five years, and later as a free-lancer, she was a staff writer, producer and designer for its weekly cable series, National Geographic Explorer, and she designed and produced graphics packages, show openers and other elements for that program as well as for National Geographic Specials. She also collaborated on a major redesign and rebranding of Explorer.

She is survived by her fiancé, Andrew J. Mathis of Brooklyn, NY; her twin brother, Christopher P. (Sharon) Clucas of Rochelle, and two sisters, Wendy C. Ross of Winnetka and Creston and Penelope C. Payton of Creston; her nieces and nephews Jennifer Payton and Geoffrey (Dana) Payton of Creston, Timothy (Jenny) Payton of DeKalb, Jonathan Clucas and Sarah Bruce of Ellettsville, IN, Melissa (Benjamin) Walter of Rochelle, and Matthew Clucas (Marissa Grace) of Marion, IA; as well as eight grandnieces and grandnephews. She is also survived by her friends and “adopted” brother and sister Daniel and Linda Graber of Rockford; her former business partner and friend Brad Hampton of New York, NY; and friends Reyna Gonzalez and her sons, Max Bovin and Gus Bovin, of Westchester, NY.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Paul and Grace Talbot and Frank and Blanche Clucas; her parents, Charles M. and Jean T. Clucas; and two brothers, Charles D. Clucas and Jeffrey F. Clucas.

Burial will be at Fairview Park Cemetery, DeKalb. Arrangements are being made through Anderson Funeral Home of DeKalb. A private family memorial service is to be held in October.

Her family would like to thank the doctors and staff of the palliative care unit of Mount Sinai Hospital for their excellent and compassionate care of Julie.

Donations can be made online to The Lilian and Benjamin Hertzberg Palliative Care Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, 1176 Fifth Ave, New York, NY, 10029. https://www.mountsinai.org/care/palliative-care/ 
For more information, visit www.andersonfuneralhomeltd.com or call 815-756-1022.