June Irene Mable Rourke (Hawkins)passed away at the age of 73 after a battle with cancer.
June was born in Mission on June 30, 1931, grew up and attended school in Dewdney. She was an active girl who worked and toured the Fraser Valley with a group of singers and acrobats. At age 8 yeats she walked the tight rope with them and sang "Oh Johnny Ohi" on the Chilliwack radio station. At age 16 years she was chosen as a princess in the 1947 Strawberry Festival. She met her hisband to be in 1946 when he returned from Germnay at the end of the war. They were maried in Mission in 1948. They had 49 years of happiness and were blessed with 4 wonderful children. She stayed home for the first 12 years then returned to work as a waitress and then onto the Mission Memorial Hospital for the next 32 years. Before retiring she was plagued with 10 long years of illness. June was a 38 year member of the ladies auxillary of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #57 and past president of the Royal Purple #30 and a member for 35 years. She was the first lady to be allowed to join the Mission Elks #30.
June was predeceased by her husband William in 1997; father in 1949; mother in 1984 and a sister in 1979. She is survived by her devoted family; sons Wayne (Ileen) and Dan; 2 daughters Sherry (Gary) Locke and Darlene (Jim) Fehr who all live in Mission; grandchildren Michael (Laurie) Wiens of Campbell River,Bill (Tanja) Rourke of Mission, Ray (Kristi) Rourke of Abbotsford, Joanne Evey of Mission, Rick (Heather)Morrison of Calgary, Leeanne Morrison of Mission and Jason (Kirsten)Fehr of Abbotsford; great grandchildren Dylan, Alyssa and Ryan Ivey,Jamie and McKenzie Rourke, Christian Wiens, Shawn Morrison, Jaiden Rourke, Paige Morrison and Cole Fehr; one sister Thelma Blanchard and one brother Vincent Hawkins; a very dear friend Bob Murphy.
Services will be held on Friday, July 23, 2004 at 3:00 p.m. at the Woodlawn Mission Funeral Home, 7386 Horne Street, Mission. In lieu of flowers donations in June's memory may be made to the Cancer Society, Diabetes or Heart and Stroke Fund.
A reception tea will follow at the Elks Hall, 33336 - 2nd Avenue, Mission.
WOODLAWN MISSION FUNERAL HOME 604-826-9548.