June Forshee

June Forshee, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother and friend to all who knew her died June 1st, 2017 at age 90. She was surrounded by her loving family and devoted husband, after an extended illness of several months and died peacefully during her sleep. Mom wanted us to thank our special adopted family members Jim and Sue Taylor and Wanda Huffman and special neighbor friends Andy and Bev Sarratore. The family also wishes to thank Caring Circle Hospice, June’s nurse Stacie, and home health aide Sue.

June Forshee was born January 17, 1927 to Dalton and Fannie (Davis) Kelley, in Mountain View, Arkansas. She moved to Michigan in 1942 and wed the loved of her life, Gerald Forshee, in 1945. They would have celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary in November and were devoted to each other from the day of their wedding.

June briefly worked in the naval shipyards in California as a riveter during World War II and owned a restaurant in Dowagiac. Her love of cooking led to her 29 year career as Chief Cook for the Niles School System at the Old Central High and Ring Lardner schools. She loved gardening, fishing, square dancing, crocheting, and especially loving and entertaining all her family and friends.

Surviving family members include her husband Gerald Forshee, children Glen Forshee and Jan (Charles “Bud”) Bair, both of Niles; Grandchildren Julie Florey, Tony Pike, Cori Bair, Tracey (Todd) Huffman, and Brooke (John) Braska. Surviving siblings are Ernest (Berniece) Kelley of New Nada, Arkansas, Finis (Janett) Kelley of Greenbrier, Arkansas, Jean Mikeska of Temple, Texas, and Ruby Sutterfield of Batesville, Arkansas, and a sister-in-law, Wanda Kelley of Denver, Colorado. Great-Grandchildren Conner (Shaina) Bair, Chase Bair, Darren Florey, Morgan Florey, Jakob Huffman, Drew Huffman, Deagan Huffman, Laynee Noble (Braska), Haiden Braska, Hadlea Braska, Silver Braska, Ryann Ferguson, TJ (Renee) Pike, Desirae (Andrew) Green, Reese Braska, and Cash Braska. Also Great-Great-Grand kids Belah, Bailee, Liam, Landen, Breylin, and Vinny.

June was preceded in death by her parents, Dalton and Fannie Kelley, and her daughter-in-law, Kay Forshee, a granddaughter’s husband, Brad Florey, brothers-in-law, Beamer Sutterfield and Tony Mikeska; and by June’s siblings and their spouses, infant Ava Nell Kelley, Lucille (Emil) Rach, Shelby Kelley, Lois (Rudy) Rach, and Nelda Ann (“T”) Finney.

The funeral service for June Forshee will be at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 5, 2017 at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home in Niles with Pastor Mark Youngberg of First Baptist Church in Niles officiating. Committal will follow at Mission Hills.

The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday at the funeral home. Contributions in memory of June may be made to the Caring Circle Hospice (Hospice at Home) at http://www.caring-circle.org.