CAPE VINCENT, NY — June T. Walker, 92, of Elm Street, Cape Vincent, a community servant since 1961, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021, at her home under the care of Jefferson County Hospice and her caregivers.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Cleveland Funeral Home, Cape Vincent.
June was born on April 24, 1929, in Middletown, NY, to the late Andrew and Mabel Tompkins. She graduated from Middletown High School in 1947 and graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 1950. She was an elementary teacher at Goshen, NY, and an assistant professor at the Van den Berg School at SUNY New Paltz working with observers, participants and student teachers.
On Aug. 15, 1955, June married John (Jack) R. Walker at United Paul’s Methodist Church in Middletown, NY.
After her marriage, she accepted the position of Elem. Supervisor at the Chatham School District. This included leading multiple schools in the surrounding area into a consolidated district.
In 1961, June taught sixth grade at Lyme Central School, then worked for BOCES as a reading teacher between Cape Vincent Central School and Lyme Central School. She then became the writing coordinator for the Lyme Central School; working there until her retirement in 1984.
June has worked with the French Festival Committee since its beginning with a historical coloring book, buggy historical tours, float making, a marionette, walking tour tapes, slides and TV historical tapes.
Her membership in the Improvement League goes back to when the group had a monthly music club. June put on many of the programs and shared their historical Woodruff home on Broadway with the club members. She was a member of the C.V. Garden Club, past President of Delta Kappa Gamma Society (Chi Chapter), Honorary Teaching Society, Friends of the C.V. Community Library, N.Y. State Retired Teachers’ Assoc., active member of the Cape Vincent United Church, and president of the C.V. Community Library Board.
From 1993 to 2010 she was the coordinator of the Steering Committee for the St. Lawrence- Eastern Ontario Commissions’ guidebook on C.V. Historical Background, architectural styles, village tour, countryside tour, historical homes and beautification of the East End Park. June was a former member of the C.V. Recreation Commission, helping to write grants for a C.V. recreation building, she was also a whiz Quiz judge for PBS Public TV.
In 2006, June was awarded the first Trustee of the year award present by the North Country Library System. At June’s retirement party in 2010, she was truly humbled by having the new room named after her. She was awarded on Sept. 2014 the Ya Ya Sisterhood award and Citizen of the Year.
June is survived by her nephews; Charles A. Clark (Ruth), Conroe, TX, Merrill L. Clark II, Killeen, TX, Scott and Bonnie Sims, Ramstein, Germany, her very dear friends Butch (Erin) Gould, her loving caregivers Cindy, Rachel, Wanda, Melinda, Tonia, Jessica, Chelcie and her wonderful C.V. Community friends.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at The United Methodist Church in Cape Vincent.
Donations may be made in her name to the Cape Vincent Ambulance or the Cape Vincent Library.
Online condolences may be made at www.clevelandfhinc.com.
“Count your age by friends, not by years.”