June Kilbourne

June Kilbourne was a woman rich in the things that count in life: a strong work ethic, a devout Christian faith, and above all an unconditional love for her husband, children, grandchildren and family. She had experienced poverty and loss in her lifetime, but she never complained and appreciated all that she had. June was a loving wife, devoted mother and proud grandmother and great grandmother, who did everything she could to support and encourage her loved ones. Through her love and hard work, June provided a strong and benevolent foundation for her family.

The Roaring Twenties were a fantastic period in our nation’s history, when the sounds of progress could be heard in every village and city across America. It was the birthplace of Jazz, the golden age of industry and above all, a time of plenty. June entered this bustling world on March 7, 1926, in the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was the third youngest of six children born to Emil C. and Santina (Murachelli) Freville. She had three older brothers and was later joined by another brother and sister. June’s early life got off to a rough start when her mother died giving birth to her youngest sister, leaving her father with six children to raise. Circumstances would lead to the children being split up and sent to live with relatives. June and her two brothers, Emil Jr. and Howard, went to live with their grandmother, while the other three siblings went to live with an aunt. Although they were raised in different homes, she and her siblings stayed closely connected all their lives.

June grew up on the west side of Grand Rapids, where she attended the area schools and went on to graduate from Union High School in 1945. She then went to work as a bookkeeper at Kresges Five and Dime Store. It was during this time that June met the love of her life, Truman Kilbourne, while out with some of her friends. Truman was from Entrican, a small community north of Grand Rapids. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, after serving in World War II, and was currently learning the trade of a pipefitter working for a refrigeration company. After dating for a time, the two sweethearts fell in love and were happily married on October 7, 1948, in the West Fulton Mission. After saying “I do,” the newlyweds settled into a rented home on Covey Street N.W. for a time before moving to a house on Lake Michigan Dr. N.W., near what is now known as Amen Park. It was here that June and Truman welcomed the birth of their first child, son Dale. He was later joined by his sister, Diana, who completed the Kilbourne family. The family later moved to a house on Maynard Street N.W. for a while, and that is when Truman decided to build their own house on O’Brian Road N.W. in Standale. The garage went up first so that the family could live in it while the rest of the house was constructed. However, June and Truman wanted to stay out of debt, so they built on only when they had the money. It was a special day when the house was completed and they could move in!

It was easy to see that June considered it pure joy to care for her husband and children. She quit working after her son Dale was born to devote herself to the role of a mother and homemaker. June was active in the lives of her children and also created a home that was a place where love was plentiful. There were so many ways that June made life around the Kilbourne home easier. She loved to cook for her family, and had a passion for collecting cookbooks and recipes, always looking for new and exciting things to make. June had a passion for gardening, where she would look forward to planting a vegetable and flower garden every summer. and canned pickles from its bounty every year. She was also an excellent seamstress, a skill she learned from her grandmother. When the children were in grade school she made most of their clothes, and her daughter Diana fondly remembers going to the local department store with her mom to pick out the fabrics she used to make new shirts and dresses. Compassionately, June touched the hearts and lives of not only the family she adored, but also their extended family. June was always willing to take in relatives, to care for them in times of sickness.

Although life was always busy, June and Truman knew the importance of being with family, and every summer they journeyed to the Upper Peninsula to go camping with Truman’s family. The children have many cherished memories of time with their relatives. They also remember a “long” trip they took out west with their pop-up camper in tow to visit some of Truman’s relatives in Arizona. Sadly in the 1970s, Truman was diagnosed with cancer, and June was his loving caregiver until he passed away in 1978. After 30 years of marriage, June was alone and had to provide for herself. She decided to take the Practical Nursing Course (PCA) test and after passing, she went to work at Kent Community Hospital as a nurse. June liked being an independent woman, but she didn’t drive so she relied on family and friends to get her to and from work – which they were more than happy to do! Aside from working, June kept herself busy reading devotional books, cookbooks and mystery novels. She also liked to play solitaire and doing word search games. The family always had a puzzle going, where they could just spend time together, doing the puzzle. Church was also a very important part of June’s life, and she dedicated a lot of time to activities within her congregation at Standale Reformed Church, where she was a faithful member. However, nothing made June happier than spending time with her grandchildren. She always had coloring books and games for them, and gave them her undivided attention when they were there. Even after having bypass surgery, June continued to keep a busy lifestyle, babysitting her grandchildren and attending their school and sport activities. When her children took their families on vacation, they took June along too – she loved being part of the family and a help where she could. Being blessed with her great granddaughter, Abigail, in 2013, just made life even sweeter.

In 2001, her son-in-law took a job in Florida, so June sold her beloved home and settled into a retirement village that was near her daughter. They moved back to Michigan in 2005, living in Big Rapids, and June stayed with them for a while. Wanting to be more independent, she moved to a retirement apartment on Main Street in Big Rapids, where she had the perfect view of all the town parades. In January of this year, June took a trip with her daughter Diana and son-in-law, Mike, to Florida, but tragically, she had a heart attack shortly after arriving. After some time in a care facility, her family was able to get June back up to Michigan to a care facility near her son and daughter-in-law’s house. Sadly, June was admitted to St. Joseph Hospital, where she passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2015, at the age of 89.

June was preceded in death by her husband, Truman. June is survived by her children, Dale & Sue Kilbourne, Diana & Mike Korcal; grandchildren, Sarah & Josh Genereux and Kristine Kilbourne; great granddaughter, Abbigal Genereux; brother, Emil "Junior" & Betty Freville; and several nieces and nephews. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 6, at 1 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW, where friends may visit with her family from 12 noon until the service. Interment in Rosedale Memorial Park. To share a memory or sign her guestbook, please visit www.lifestorynet.com.