June I Williamson

June Irene (Green) Williamson, of Great Falls, died on Friday, May 16, 2014 at the age of 91. A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 at O’Connor Memorial Chapel at 2:00 p.m. O’Connor Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Born on June 5, 1922 in Oak Park, Illinois she spent her childhood and teen years in Colorado and New Jersey. After high school she took a job at Equitable Insurance, where she was paid $18 a week including a $3 bonus because she knew shorthand and could type. After 14 years, she became an Air Force wife, marrying George Williamson at Mitchell AFB, New York on September 26, 1954. They moved immediately to France and lived in Lorraine and west of Paris for the next 3-1/2 years. They spent weekends in Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Belgium. A daughter, Melissa, was born in 1956and Melanie followed in 1957. Being the only Americans in a French town, June learned a great deal of French. She would frequently take Melissa to the Palais Royale Park and shop on the Rue de Rivoli. When George posted to Malmstrom AFB in 1958 the family drove 2500 miles from New York to Montana on 2 lane highways with 2 babies, aged 6 and 22 months. June was marvelous with them all on the 6 day journey. A son, Bruce was born in 1959 and June’s mother came to live with the family in Montana to help care for the children. June worked at clerical jobs for Great Falls stores and agencies until her mother died in 1963, when June stayed at home to raise the 3 children. In 1971, she became a Licensed Practical Nurse, but a mild heart attack forced her to stop working after 6 years. She was always grateful to Shari Kohoutek for getting her, her first job as a nurse piercing earlobes. When George retired in 1985, June and George traveled to Hawaii, the east coast, Texas, Canada, France, and Scotland as well as an annual visit to Virginia to visit relatives. After 2005, June and George became stay at home elder people, and she took up jewelry making, selling her creations at craft shows and in galleries. She is survived by her loving husband, George; daughters Melissa (Charles) Wingate and Melanie (Gordon) Pierce; son Bruce (Kim) Williamson; her grandchildren whom she loved: James, Catherine, and Thomas Wingate of Silver Spring, MD, Devin and Dylan Cockerille of Denver, CO, and Jaime and Michelle Williamson of Houston, TX; and step-grandchildren Aubrey, Emmily, and Sarah Pierce of Denver, CO. June was a wonderful wife and mother and will be missed by all who knew her.