June Kunkel Wilson Kleber
June Wilson Kleber passed away at her home, Friday, August 21, 2020, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was two months past her 100th birthday. She was born on Tuesday, June 22, 1920 in Bismarck, North Dakota, the oldest of Clyde and Dorothy Crandal Kunkel’s four daughters. Clyde and Dorothy moved their growing family to Mound City, Missouri. In 1928 Dorothy Kunkel passed away leaving June and her sisters to become an amazingly tight band of sisters. June grew up and attended Mound City’s K-12 school. After high school, June attended Maryville College, now known as Northwest Missouri State. After her college graduation, June enlisted in the Navy WAVES, serving her country during World War II. She was stationed in Washington D.C. attached to The Office of Naval Operations for the Pacific. After the war, June separated from the Navy and had her first teaching assignment in Wheatland, WY.
In the summer of 1947, June reconnected with her high school beau, Eugene F. Wilson. They married in December and started an adventure together riding the train to La Junta, Colorado, then to Las Vegas New Mexico, where their first child, Martha Dawn, was born. Gene began working for Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company which took them all over New Mexico. In 1952 they settled in Los Alamos, where their two other children, Robin Lee and Thomas Ferril, were born. Gene and June were charter members of the First United Methodist Church in Los Alamos. Their social life revolved around the church with meetings, pot-luck dinners, and life-long friendships.
In 1958, Gene and June moved the family to Albuquerque, where Gene continued with the phone company and June resumed her teaching career, first at Garfield Middle School and then at Del Norte High School. They joined St. John’s United Methodist Church where June was a member when she passed away. They were active in all areas of the church. In 1969, tragedy struck the Wilson family. Gene was killed in a car accident. June was left with the raising of Robin and Tom by herself. She soldiered on giving those two children a stable and loving home.
In 1978, June married J. Clarence Kleber, who she had met at church. They lived and traveled together until Clarence passed away in 1996.
June retired from teaching in the Albuquerque Public Schools in 1980. She was busier in her retirement than she had been teaching. She worked at a novelty store in Old Town. She spent a number of years as the secretary of St. John’s, proofing all correspondence that left the church office. She was able to pursue her hobbies of travel, reading and playing bridge to her heart’s content.
One of the great joys of her life was her trip to Washington, D.C., in July 2018, with the National Honor Flight, a program to honor war veterans with a trip to the nation’s capital and a visit to the memorial commemorating their war.
In addition to her husbands, June was preceded in death by her three sisters, Bessie Gerand, Iris Sitherwood, Dorothy Heck and her brother, Robert A. Kunkel.
June is survived by her daughters, Martha (Dave) Peercy, and Robin Wilson; son, Tom (Jan) Wilson, all of Albuquerque; grandchildren, Brad (Megan) Peercy of Catonsville, Maryland, Lane (Kate) Peercy of Omaha, Nebraska, Emily Kuoppala of Denver, Conrad Wiley of Las Vegas, Nevada; great-grandchildren, Paige, Cole, Rhys, Anderson, Leighton Peercy, Benjamin Nichols, Lauren Rogers and Hunter Wiley; one brother, Clyde (Carmen) Kunkel, Springfield, Virginia; as well as many wonderful nieces and nephews.
June has been buried next to Gene at the Sunset Memorial Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico. A Memorial Service will be scheduled at a later time when we all can come together safely.
Memorials can be sent to St. John’s United Methodist (2626 Arizona St. NE, 87110). Women’s group: Naomi Circle, which will direct any donations to appropriate missionary groups. Please visit our online guest book for June at www.FrenchFunerals.com