June Elizabeth Whittaker f. 29 jul. 1919 Fowler, Benton, Indiana, USA d. 4 maj 2008 Zeeland, Ottawa, Michigan, USA: Martin Bjarklev's Slægtsforskningshjemmeside

1919 - 2008 (88 år)

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Navn	June Elizabeth Whittaker
Født	29 jul. 1919	Fowler, Benton, Indiana, USA
Køn	Kvinde
Død	4 maj 2008	Zeeland, Ottawa, Michigan, USA
Begravet	Fennville, Allegan, Michigan, USA
	Fennville Cemetery
Person-ID	I39376	Bjarklev
Sidst ændret	25 feb. 2022

Familie Nelcy A Pedersen, f. 17 okt. 1917, Allegan, Michigan, USA , d. 9 feb. 1984, Heber Springs, Cleburne, Arkansas, USA (Alder 66 år)

Gift 25 dec. 1938 Allegan, Michigan, USA

Børn

	1. Paul Michael Pedersen, f. 1940, d. før 2017 (Alder < 76 år) [natural]
	2. Ann Marie Pedersen, f. 28 aug. 1950, Michigan, USA , d. 14 jul. 1952, Ann Arbor, Washtenaw, Michigan, USA (Alder 1 år) [natural]
	3. Penny Arlene Pedersen, f. 11 mar. 1942, d. 17 dec. 2017 (Alder 75 år) [natural]
	4. Joyce Pedersen [natural]
	5. Phil Pedersen, f. Bentonville, Benton, Arkansas, USA [natural]
	6. David Pedersen, f. Holland, Ottawa, Michigan, USA [natural]
	7. Laurie Pedersen [natural]

Sidst ændret 25 feb. 2022

Familie-ID F14465 Gruppeskema | Familietavle

Billeder
June Elizabeth Whittaker

Notater

June Pedersen built her life around hard work, family and the joy of life itself. Whether she was raising her children or spoiling her grandchildren, June put her heart into all that she did. She had a generous spirit and she loved to give of her time and talents. Through her warmth and generosity, June exemplified all the wonderful things a wife, mother, grandmother and friend should be.
In 1919, Woodrow Wilson was President and the 18th Amendment introduced Prohibition to the country. For the citizens living in Fowler, Indiana, a small, but thriving community, located on the western side of the state, these events were nothing more than headlines in the newspaper. For Vernon and Anna Arabella (Goodwine) Whittaker, the excitement centered on the birth of their daughter, a beautiful baby girl they named June, born on July 29, 1919.
Although June was born in Indiana, she grew up in the Fennville, Michigan area. She attended the local elementary school, where her father was the official bell ringer. If you arrived after the bell stopped ringing, you were marked tardy. Fortunately for June, if her father knew she was going to be a little bit late, he just kept ringing the bell until she was safe inside the school. Under the watchful eye of her father, June graduated from Fennville High School. June and her father enjoyed a wonderful father-daughter relationship and he always held a special place in her heart.
One evening, while June was attending a dance, the power went out and the hall was in darkness. A gentleman standing next to June asked her if she knew “where Moses was when the lights went out.” June didn’t know the answer. Well, the answer to the young man’s question was - “In the dark!” This was the first conversation between June and Nelcy Pedersen. She later wrote in her diary that she had finally met a man, a real he-man. It seems the attraction was mutual, for the two were married on December 25, 1939, while her brother Bill was home on leave from the Navy. Ready to start their life together, there was no formal honeymoon.
While Nelcy supported his growing family as a truck driver, spending many days on the road, June was a full time mother, caring for their seven children. When their daughter Ann, died at 22 months from leukemia, it was a difficult time for everyone, especially June. But through the support of her husband and her children, June carried on. The older girls often helped their mother with the cooking and caring for their younger siblings.
As busy as the family was, they always found time for fun. They loved to travel and go camping. On one memorable trip to the Porcupine Mountains, they loaded all their gear and all the family into their 1953 Studebaker. June loved these trips. Later, they moved up to a pop-up camper and then to a travel trailer. Traveling became a life-long joy as they traveled all over the United States.
One time, June entered a contest sponsored by Better Homes and Gardens Magazine called the “Better Homes and Gardens Smorgasbord in Sweden Sweepstakes.” When a telegraph arrived at their home, June was astonished to find that she had won - an all-expense paid vacation to Sweden. She was even interviewed on the local WHTC radio station. Always frugal, June traded in their seats in first class for coach seats, enabling them to stay another week in Sweden and visit Nelcy’s relatives in Denmark with the money they had saved.
In 1974, Nelcy retired from truck driving and he and June began spending the winter months in Arkansas in a home they had built there. Located in Heber Springs, at the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, it was a beautiful area, far from Michigan’s winters. When summer returned, they traveled back to Michigan. Sadly, June’s beloved Nelcy passed away in 1984, leaving her with a broken heart, but wonderful memories.
June continued traveling, this time with her daughters. Penny and her mom spent a month, touring through 19 states and visiting many of the countries’ national parks. June and her daughters also did weekend “girls trips” at least once a year. These trips usually focused on an area they had all read about. One girl’s trip was after reading the book and watching the movie “The Bridges of Madison County.” They traveled to Iowa and enjoyed visiting the house where the majority of the movie was filmed, as well as the area covered bridges. The trips served as a great time of bonding and fellowship.
In 1990, June moved back to the Holland area. At the age of 85, she decided to give up driving. She said it was one of the hardest things she had done, for it meant giving up much of her independence. However, she still had many interests to keep her busy. She loved dogs, and had several for pets. She enjoyed sewing, quilting and growing African violets. These are a fussy flower, but June’s were always healthy and beautiful. She was an avid photographer who found it hard to take just one or two pictures of something. If it caught her eye, she clicked away to her heart’s content.
As a member of the First United Methodist Church, June lived her life with a Christian spirit. Positive and upbeat, she loved everyone unconditionally. However, she was also strong-willed and not afraid to voice her opinions.
June was a wonderful woman who enjoyed life and was so full of fun, friendship, and family. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and a friend to so many. Most of all, she was a woman who appreciated and enjoyed every day of her life, and taught us to do the same. She will be greatly missed.
June Pedersen age 88 of Holland passed away Sunday, May 4, 2008 in Zeeland Community Hospital. June was preceded in death by her husband Nelcy in 1984 and a daughter Ann Marie Pedersen in 1952. Surviving are her children: Paul Pedersen of Kingman, AZ; Joyce and John Dreyer of Newaygo, Penny Masters of Hamilton, Phillip and Sue Pedersen of Little Rock, AR, David and Ana Pedersen of West Olive, and Laurie and Scott Jeffrey of Holland; 25 grandchildren and several great and great great grandchildren; in-laws-Viola Onken of Fennville, Herman and Eva Pedersen of Parma, and Esther Grigsby of Allegan; several nephews, nieces, and cousins. Funeral services will be 11 am Thursday at the Fennville United Methodist Church with David Newton officiating. Burial will be in the Fennville Cemetery. Visitation will be 7-9 pm Wednesday at the Dykstra Life Story Funeral Homes-Northwood Chapel. Please visit June’s personal memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you may share a memory, sign the online guest book or upload a favorite photo. Memorial contributions may be made to Evergreen Commons or the Harbor Humane Society.