June Marie Pearson

June Marie Pearson’s Biography (June 6, 1937 - November 16, 2016) June Marie Pearson, born June 6, 1937 in Stanton, Texas to John Henry and Lillie Mae Williard (Hess). June was the youngest of five siblings, three brothers and one sister;; survived by Charlie and Jack;; predeceased by Fred and infant sister, Mary. June also has an older half sister and half brother that reside in North Carolina along with other relatives on her father’s side, which she has visited periodically and kept in contact with over the years. When growing up, June helped her family with picking cotton and milking cows on the farm. She terrorized her brothers with poison ivy since she seemed to be immune to it! The family moved around quite a bit throughout Texas and also lived in Arkansas as they had to move where the work was. When June’s father wasn’t farming, he dabbled in boot legging. In 1952, June’s family moved to California, except for brother Fred who had moved to Oklahoma. June’s father left the family when she was just 16 years old. Her brothers saw to it they’re little sister received the education that they did not. She graduated from San Fernando High School in 1954, and obtained a job working in a dental office. In 1958 at the age of 22, June married Ernest John Pearson. They moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he was stationed at O’Hare Air Force Base. In 1960, June and John moved back to California to a small North Hollywood apartment where June gave birth to her first child, Joseph, in 1960, who was, sadly, still-born. In November 1961 at age 24, she gave birth to a baby girl, Pamela Lynn. In the meantime, June and John had purchased a two bedroom, one bath home in Reseda, and in May of 1963, baby boy Michael Barry was born. June was baptized in August 1965, along with both children and her mother, Lillie, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Reseda. June hung a copper plaque imprinted with The Lord’s Prayer in the hallway just outside our bathroom. That is what we read while we waited our turn! Later, June and John added a master bedroom and bath onto their home. During those years, June was a Den Mother for her son’s Cub Scout troop, as well as an accomplished seamstress, always making cute clothes for her daughter. She was a stay at home mom, and later started working again part time in a dental office. In 1977, after a neighbor family moved up to Redding, California, June and John thought that was a good idea and our family soon followed. June instantly located a job in an orthodontic office. In 1979, the family moved to Sacramento and June instantly located a job in an orthodontic office for Drs. Daft & Stamos. Shortly, thereafter in 1980, June and John divorced from their marriage of 22 years. June moved into an apartment and subsequently purchased a townhouse in Carmichael. She continued to work in an orthodontic office and after a time was promoted to Office Manager and worked there until she retired in approximately 1999. During that time, she was always helping her kids in some way or another and continued to enjoy sewing as her daughter always had a project for her! She also enjoyed country dancing and helped promote the F.O. Presbyterian singles group dances. In 1986, June survived a bout with breast cancer that started with the removal of a malignant lump and lymph node, followed by radiation which she endured for several weeks. Then a few years later when the lump recurred, she had a partial mastectomy. The cancer never returned, a true blessing, but the radiation did cause some life long health issues. June’s sewing grew to a new level as she learned how to make the most beautiful quilts! She also started to enjoy ballroom type dancing regularly. For many years, June volunteered at the Senior Gleaners, picking up, unloading and distributing food for the needy. She loved to move and enjoyed hiking and snow shoeing in the foothills, the Sierras, Winnemucca, Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Appalachia mountains and many other places with the Hang Town Hikers, Elder Hostel and Road Scholar, where she developed many friendships. She also volunteered at the annual Jazz Festival in Old Sacramento. She loved the beauty of tigers and had an affinity for the rain. June was a proud grandmother of Sean, Shaylen and Justin, (ages, 30, 28 & 30, respectively) who love her very much. She was a very giving, strong, independent and God loving mother, sister and grandmother, with sharp insight and a humorous tongue. She worked very hard and paid off her townhouse, all of which she was very proud. June had hoped to travel more, but her battle with Lewy Body Dementia with Parkinsonism was a huge struggle and she so much wanted to overcome it. Her caregivers fell in love with her through the difficulties of this disease. For the most part, she could still remember her family and friends, which was a great blessing. And now she is with the Lord. (In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the CureALZ.org where 100% is used for scientific research with the highest probability of preventing, slowing, or reversing Alzheimer disease.)