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"JUNE AND STAN - A DIVINE APPOINTMENT - 56 YEARS"

--- June and Stan's Wedding Picture 1952

(June and Stan's Wedding Picture - August 1952)

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This story begins with: “Special Orders Number 98, Headquarters, Counter Intelligence Corps Center, Baltimore 19, Maryland 10 May 1951 - …Stanton O. Berg  RA 16284530, Hq Co. 8579th AAU is granted fifteen (15) days ordinary lv eff o/a 20 May 51.”

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Stan left Baltimore by Rail on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad on Sunday May 20th, 1951 arriving in Chicago early the next morning. From Chicago, Stan took a connecting train to Rice Lake, WI on the old Chicago and Northwestern Lines arriving there on Monday evening the 21st. (Railroads were the normal transportation in those years.). Stan’s parents met the Train in Rice Lake that evening  and provided the final transportation to their home in Barron.

On Tuesday morning May 22nd, 1951 Stan’s father Tom insisted on taking Stan with him to his favorite morning coffee place in Barron called Gullickson’s Café on 3rd Avenue. It was at this small restaurant that Stan was introduced to the “Special Lady” that Stan’s father Tom wanted him to meet. June K. Rolstad was that “Special Lady” who was then working as a waitress in this small restaurant.

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(June - Stan swinging - "Old Apple Tree" - Rolstad Farm - 1951)

Stan and June Memorial Day 1951

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What would make this a “Divine Appointment” rather than a simple “Boy Meets Girl” introduction? It is thought that “Divine Appointments” result from God intervening in our lives by way of the “Holy Spirit” that is at work in all of us. It is usually manifested by an unplanned meeting or encounter. Stan originally had his own plans for his leave time at home in Barron. In fact he already had plans for later that evening when he was to meet a young lady telephone operator after she completed her work shift at 9 PM..Stan accompanied his father Tom to the little Café on the Barron side street simply because he did not want to hurt his father’s feelings. However, after meeting June, Stan’s plans for the remainder of his leave were adjusted to permit him to spend the remainder of his leave time with June. Immediately after  his Father's introduction to June, Stan made same day plans with June for an early evening "get acquainted" coffee meeting. This coffee "get acquainted" meeting was timed just hours before his previously arranged  "goodbye" date for the day with friend Lucy. A very busy day!**

    ** Note: No, Stan did not suddenly leave his telephone operator lady friend Lucy high and dry. Lucy had already decided to end their relationship as her local Barron boy friend Clyde from high school days had convinced her that he would be a better choice. Clyde was said to already have made definite plans for the future as an aircraft mechanic with Northwest Airlines.. Stan had received a "Dear John" type letter from Lucy a few months before coming home on leave and meeting June. So this date was not really a date but simply a friendly "Goodbye" meeting...Like the old country western song: "Lets say goodbye like we said hello, in a friendly sort of way.  (Ernest Tubb) I am sure that to Lucy, Stan appeared to be a very questionable commodity as an Army service man nearing the end of his enlistment time with no concrete plans for the future except completing his education. Lucy's Barron high school day's boy friend Clyde, did go on to become a steward rather then an aircraft mechanic with NorthWest Airlines...Lucy and Clyde did later marry but had no children..*

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(June romping on Rolstad farm front lawn - Memorial Day 1951)

 

June Rolstad

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Lucy and Clyde lived for a time in the Twin Cities until retirement . Shortly after their retirement,  Lucy suffered a stroke. Clyde and Lucy then moved back to Barron. So it appears that all worked out well for everyone involved. June obviously saw something in Stan that Lucy could not see. Note: Early in December 2014, Clyde died in the Prairie Farm Nursing Home at age 85,, where it was reported he was living and caring for Lucy...by coincidence both Stan and Clyde ended up as caregivers to their wives..

Why would God who gives us a “free will” to conduct our lives, want to get involved in “Matchmaking” arrangements. In this case there appeared to be a lot of cutting and fitting and timing involved. June had just come out of a previous heart-breaking relationship.

Perhaps God’s intelligence system told him of June’s future strong church activities of faith and charity would make June one of Satan’s prime targets for diseases and illnesses such as Alzheimer’s. God would have known of Stan’s faltering faith that needed the support of a strong women like June…and God would have known that Stan would always stand by June through all of her twelve years of terminal illness…what ever the reason…June was Stan’s greatest blessing and one that forever changed his world and life.  Stan likes to say, “June made my life an adventure!”

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 (June - Stan - Having a Kiss - Rolstad Farm - Memorial Day 1951)

June and Stan May 1951

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As indicated earlier, Stan and June did get together briefly the same evening (Tuesday) for coffee in order to get better acquainted. It was at this brief "Coffee" get together that they made plans for a more formal dinner date for the very next evening, Wednesday  May 23rd at “The Spot”. “The Spot” was a charming little restaurant located in beautiful surroundings on the Lake shore of Lake Pokegama where the narrows lead into Lake Chetek. Their first date at “The Spot” involved a steak dinner followed by dancing to juke box music. This memorable 1st date evening ended by walking and talking along the shore of Lake Pokegama. **

   **  In the year following their marriage, June and Stan danced the 1952/1953 New Year in at "The Spot"...it was a great night of dining and dancing with some of June's brother's and sisters and their friends.

Following their first date, June and Stan spent time with each other every day of Stan's remaining leave time. Memorial Day the 30th was spent relaxing at June’s parent’s farm home in the country near Poskin.

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*(The above three black and white snapshot photos were taken at June's parent's farm by one of June's sisters on that Memorial Day in 1951.)

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A kind lady from Manchester, United Kingdom, Bridie Breen, a lady that neither June nor I have ever met, was kind enough to compose a poem of love, inspired by the above three  pictures taken at the Rolstad Farm near Poskin, Wisconsin...

Although June and Bridie have never met, they are both "Purple Angel World Ambassadors" appointed by the world headquarters in the United Kingdom...to promote world wide awareness of the dementia diseases such as Alzheimer's, Lewy Body Dementia, Vascular Dementia etc. Bridie is a Purple Angel here on earth while June is an Honorary Purple Angel in Heaven with Stan appointed to carry out June's duties here on earth.

In behalf of both June and myself, I wish to thank you Bridie, for your friendship and your poetry...I am sure that June is both pleased and appreciative of your kindness and your poetic talent!  (Stan - August 2014)

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From June to Stan

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As dappled rays rest,

Lightly on your features.

I pause to watch a familiar face,

Infused with warmth,

Of loving adoration.

I smile in appreciation,

Of the man who shares my dreams.

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We gently swing,

In blue grass rhythm,

Under fruit rich bough.

My arm surrounds,

And hope lifts our hearts.

Forever then, forever now,

Forever we.

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On a farm near Poskin…

Memories made,

For us to savor.

We can still linger,

In the leafy shade,

Of our favorite Apple tree.

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Birdie

(Bridie Breen – Anniversary 2014)

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June and Stan continued their relationship by correspondence after his return to Baltimore and until Stan again returned home on Leave that fall on the 12th of November 1951. This November leave was for an additional 16 days and a second series of daily get-to-gethers. In November 1951, June was now working as a waitress in Cameron, WI at “Huffy’s” Café. Cameron was a nearby small town just a few miles east of Barron on US highway 8. June at that time was staying in a home with an elderly lady just across the street from Huffy’s. Stan would come into Huffy’s late in the day on each of June’s work days and wait for her to finish her schedule for the day.

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(June -Stan Dancing -June's Birthday November 1979)

June and Stan Nov 1979

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It was in 1950 and 1951 that the hit Song "The Tennessee Waltz" was at the top of the charts. The singing sensation Patti Page was the performer that put it up there. June and I loved to Waltz ...this song became our song. A very big coincidence to my mind is that Patti Page was born on the exact same day in 1927 that June was born. During our courting days June and I went out dancing every Saturday night...in our later years we danced the night away in such exotic locations as Moscow and Leningrad.

It was during the November leave on Tuesday the 13th 1951 that Stan proposed to June and she accepted.. Who said 13 was an unlucky number? The Ring that Stan gave to June on this occasion was a rather small diamond because that was all he could afford at the time. June of course acted like it was a magnificent ring. Stan’s income in the Army at Enlisted Grade 4 (E-4) was only $125.a month!

In later years this small ring was replaced with a larger one. A third and final ring was purchased for June on their 35th anniversary. June wrote this note in her 35th anniversary card.  to Stan: “I guess I won’t ever forget my 35th. I love the ring! “  The rest of the message read: "For the man who holds a special place in my world, in my life, and in my heart...With all my Love!..June (Doll) 8-16-87." The term or name "Doll" was one of my favorite pet names for June!

Since June passed away from complications of Alzheimer’s, I have made this last ring into a necklace  that I wear around my neck every day of the year in memory and honor of June. At that time I had a large man's diamond ring that I was wearing. I removed the ring and placed it on June's finger at the funeral and it remains with her now at Lakewood.

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(Photo is a Christmas Gift from June to Stan in 1951

  

June

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June and Stan enjoyed the Thanksgiving Holidays together before Stan had to return to the Counter Intelligence Corps Center in Baltimore. Stan remained on duty in Baltimore over the 1951 Christmas Holidays. June sent Stan a special gift for Christmas that year. The gift was an 8x10 inch picture of June that she had specially made up for him at a photography studio in nearby Rice Lake. Those were the days when color portraits were not yet readily available. Color was most often added by hand in the photo studio. June had this special gift photo- picture  hand colored. The back of the picture has the "notes" made by the photographer at the time to assist him in doing the hand coloring. The notes read: "Eyes blue, hair brown, dress blue." This picture is now one of Stan's treasured possessions.

On 2 May of 1952, Stan was discharged from the army after completing four years of service. June and Stan were married on Saturday August 16th of that Year at the Wesley Methodist Church in Bloomington, Illinois where Stan was completing training for a new job with State Farm Insurance Companies. June took a train to Bloomington, IL that .arrived on the Saturday Morning of their Wedding day. Stan had made arrangements for the City/County offices to be open just to accommodate them for the issuance of the marriage license and rush through the required Illinois blood tests. Everyone involved was extra kind and considerate. It was a different time and a different mentality. Stan had rented a room for them in a beautiful large old home owned by an elderly lady, Mrs. Veach. When this lady heard they were being married that weekend, she simply moved out of her home for the weekend to give them total privacy for a few days.

June and Stan’s future marriage home’s followed Stan’s job assignments. First it was Chisholm, MN and then Duluth, MN and finally in Fridley, MN.

June was born on a small dairy farm near Colfax, WI in 1927 and grew up during the “Great Depression” years.  June was the oldest of the the 6 surviving children of Haldis and Henry Rolstad. (3 died shortly after childbirth including twin girls.) Children in the 1920's were commonly born at home and mortality rates were high. June was confirmed in the Colfax Lutheran Church. June developed a lifelong faith and a love for the Lutheran church. June later became a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Fridley, MN where she was a member for over 50 years.

June served on the Redeemer Lutheran Church Board, taught Sunday school and was a Girl Scout Leader. June visited the Lynwood Nursing Home each Wednesday evening and had dinner with the residents. June was a part of the Redeemer’s afternoon ministry to the Fridley Convalescent Nursing home. She took her turn assisting with serving noon meals at the Marie Sandvik Mission in downtown Minneapolis. June delivered “Meals and Wheels”. June was Chair-woman for the church's “Ruth” and “Rebecca” circles and frequently hosted meetings in her home. June also assisted in the church kitchen, was a Sunday “Greeter” and a part of the Bell Choir. June was paired in an evangelistic team calling on church members and others. This was a part of Redeemer’s sponsored “Evangelistic Explosion” program. June's evangelism team member Dean remembers June:

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(June and Stan at Lake Geneva, 1977)

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June and Stan Lake Geneva 1977

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 “I remember for June, presenting the gospel was a very natural thing for her to do. People felt comfortable and not threatened by her because she was so genuine and related effectively with them. Her love for the Lord shone through her as she conversed with the people...she had a special spirit about her and always smiling.”

June participated in the internationally acclaimed and sponsored Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for six years. During the last two years she was in early stages of her Alzheimer's. Her last year of participation was very difficult for her as Alzheimer's was slowly asserting itself and attacking her brain. The weekly studies were becoming more than she could manage. I remember trying to assist her the last year and being impressed with the depth of the studies and wondering how she had come as far as she had with this terrible handicap.

In spite of her many personal church activities, June always made light of and ignored her own achievements. June’s personality never strayed far from that of the farm girl from Colfax, Wisconsin that I first met in 1951. June was totally without guile or pretense. I know of no other person in my lifetime that has or comes as close to the 'Church's definition of the virtue of humbleness...often described as the "greatest of all virtues and the least sought after!"

(June and Stan - 1990 - 38th Anniversary)

June and Stan 1990

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always considered myself well organized but I will never know how June was able to keep up her many church activities and still be a great wife, daughter, mother and grandmother. She did it all with out short changing of any activity and managed to always look bright, sharp, smiling and beautiful. I remember one of her neighbor friends telling me how much she admired June, wanted to be like her and how June was always so well organized. Maybe God was showing June the way!

For many years June traveled with me in the US, Canada and Europe to attend forensic science conferences as a part of my forensic science career. I know that June while being perhaps a bit amused at my references to her as my Administrative Assistant, did at the same time appear pleased with this designation. In reality, what would I have been without her and the support she always gave me? London was a city we visited 8 times and it became June’s favorite city. June established a life long friendship with the Bruce family of nearby Bexley, Kent. June loved to dance and we danced the night away at such exotic places as the Rossia Hotel in Moscow in 1969. This was during the first ever Soviet-American Symposium in Forensic Science and at the height of the "Cold War." June had a handshake with Pope Paul VI during an audience at the Vatican in 1973. June was a part of official receptions by Her Majesties Govt. In Edinburgh in 1972, the President of Italy at Rome in 1973 and at the House of Lords in London in 1999. June spent a week at Oxford University in 1984, residing in the student housing at the historic Christ Church College.

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(June - Stan - 50th anniversary year - 4th year of Alzheimer's)

June and Stan 2002

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June’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis came in January 1998 following short term memory symptoms noted in 1997. June knew at a very early date, the blackness and the depth of the distant approaching Alzheimer’s storm clouds. She displayed a concern for me. I remember well that Sunday (Ca. 1999) when she brought home the “Care Notes” pamphlet from our church - “Handling Grief as a Man.” She said nothing; just left it out for me to find and to read. I remember the time that she detected one of my episodes of emotional sadness as I watched her illness progress. She tried to console me by saying “Don’t worry, I will be alright Stan!” I am sure at the time, we both really knew otherwise.

Thereafter, I slowly lost June, tear drop by tear drop during her long and exhausting journey into the shadows of Alzheimer’s that lasted almost 12 years.

For the first eight (8) plus years I took care of June at our home. The first 6 years of these years were relatively easy years that only required accommodation for her short term memory problems. We continued to travel extensively and did the many things we had put off in past years. In Years 7 and 8 the disease started closing in on us as we saw June’s personality changes and eventually hallucinations and behavioral changes. In year 9, June went into a nursing home. As the disease progressed she had seizures, lost ability to walk or talk, had difficulty swallowing, eating, and became incontinent. During the last year and a half, she rarely opened her eyes or even responded. Aspiration pneumonia a common Alzheimer’s complication ended her life.

June gave me a lifetime of unconditional love during our 56 year’s marriage and a life with only the regret that it is now over and that June has had to suffer the horrors of Alzheimer's.

 I owe June and God an unending debt! Her passing was as if a most beautiful symphony that played during our life together, had now ceased to exist!

Before her Alzheimer's diagnosis our world and her character and personality were represented by a vast sea of bright and beautiful lights. After her Alzheimer's diagnosis, these bright lights all begin to slowly dim. As June slowly slipped deeper into the shadows of Alzheimer's, the lights gradually flickered out one by one. Eventually the time came during the last two years of her life, when the brightness that marked our world and June’s life was replaced by one of darkness.

In the last year, June rarely ever opened her eyes to a world that was then alien and strange to her. June had become so tired, exhausted and weary that in the last months of her life she lay like a wounded soldier on a battlefield. Early one morning, June felt God's gentle touch on her shoulder and heard the words: "Come Home June!"

God mercifully took June home on a Thursday morning, the 23rd of October 2008. June's passing leaves me with an emptiness that can never be filled!

I am reminded of the lines from the Poem of "Love" by John Frederick Nim:

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              "For should your hands drop white and empty - All the toys of the world would break."

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June and Stan's family includes their four (4) children (David, Daniel, Susan and Julie) and twenty four (24) grandchildren and great grandchildren...following June's diagnosis of early stage Alzheimer's in 1998, Stan set about writing a story of June's life, primarily as documentary for the family and in particular the grandchildren so they would not think of their grandma June as the confused old lady the disease Alzheimer's would turn her into being...this story became a printed booklet of 31 chapters in length. the story was entitled: "Reminiscences of June, a Traveling Grandmother."..this booklet traces June's entire life including her birth, early growing up years, WWII years as well as her heritage..this booklet is now into a much larger and expanded online  4th edition 2008. It is a part of June's website and can be accessed by the below link:

"Reminiscences of June, A Traveling Grandmother"

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While June is now gone from this world, her influence in my life is far from over. The wedding ring that June gave me 60+ years ago has never been removed from the ring finger of my left hand during those years except perhaps briefly to show it off or to clean and polish it. I am requesting that it not be removed when my final bell tolls and I go to join June at Lakewood. I visit her grave at Lakewood Cemetery every Wednesday* with Roses in the warmer seasons and in winter I clear her marker of snow. Every Sunday morning at our Redeemer Lutheran Church, I offer my thanks to God for his hand in making June a part of my life. On the back of every attendance card is space for prayer requests...one category of requests is: "Thanksgiving for:". I mark and request a prayer of thanksgiving "For my wife June!"  June is the focal point of a number of charitable activities conducted in her name and that also promote Alzheimer's awareness. In that regard, our joint checking account remains joint with both June and Stan's names on the account and on all the checks that are issued from the account.

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*Note: Because of my advanced age (86) and a number of health problems and issues, it has become necessary to curtail my weekly visits to June's grave at Lakewood Cemetery. Beginning in mid summer 2014, my son Daniel has taken me in his car, the 20 miles from my home to Lakewood Cemetery once every month instead of weekly...at that time I deliver my usual dozen fresh roses to June's grave site, spend some time in prayer and reflection and also visit the nearby grave of my son David...later in the day on my own, I visit the nearby Holy Spirit Chapel at the Benedictine Health Care Center of Innsbruck, New Brighton, Minnesota for meditation. Our family has 7 stained glass windows in the Holy Spirit chapel that are dedicated to June, our son David, my parents and June's parents and the world's victims of Alzheimer's...time is also spent in the lobby area in front of  the chapel visiting with staff and residents.

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The following poem or writing, describes June better than any description I have ever seen:

June Berg 1994 

"June, In the Footsteps of an Angel"

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 “June, you did not wish for riches nor the glow of greatness,

but wherever you would go,

some weary heart would be gladdened at your smile,

or a shadowed life would know sunshine for a while.

And so your path is like a track of light,

as an angels’ footsteps passing through the night.”

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Note: The idea for this poem about June came from some early day archaic English writings on an old Norman Church wall in the Hamlet of Upwaltham, Chichester, West Sussex on England’s South East Coast. The moment I read the words, I thought, here was an excellent description of June. Her humbleness, her kindness to the sick and elderly and her signature smile. I simply added the title, and rewrote the original wording into a poem about June using updated English and revising as I thought appropriate. - 2011)

June's passing left as survivors, four (4) children, (David, Daniel, Susan and Julie), 10 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren and 1 Great Great Grandchild

(David later passed on in October 2012 as a victim of cancer.)  The last seven great grandchildren  including two sets of twins were never able to meet their very special Grandma! Small children always had a special place in June's heart. The 10th great grandchild, a little girl born on the 1st of August 2012, was named "June" in honor of her great grandmother "June". The year 2014 saw the birth of a Great, Great Grandson Gage, bringing the total of grandchildren to 23 Grand Children. 

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 Stan's Summary of June and Their Life Together

June and I were both products of poor farm families, and raised during the "great depression" years...June and I first met in the spring of 1951 while I was home on leave from the Army during the Korean War days...We became engaged in the fall of 1951 and were married in August of 1952 after my discharge from the Army...June and I became the last of the old fashioned "traditional families" in which June was in charge of the home (homemaker) and I was in charge of income production. June and I had a joint discretionary checking account. We jointly planned vacations and family activities...we were also the first in the history of our own two families to offer a college education (tuition paid) to those of our children who desired to better their own education.

In looking back at our life, June clearly had the toughest challenges as the "lady in charge of the home"...I remember a former neighbor and friend of June's telling me in later years, how much she admired June...how well organized June was and how this lady wished she could be more like June. June not only ran the home including the housekeeping, laundry, and meals, but also functioned as a wonderful mother, a grandmother and a wife.

June was also a very active force in our Redeemer Lutheran church where she pulled a very heavy oar... June served as a Women's Circle Chairwoman, taught Sunday School Class, was a Girl Scout leader, a member of the Church Board, served on Nominating committees, Nursing home visitor, Evangelism team member, Sunday Church Greeter... 

June was noted for her friendly smile...when June smiled even her eyes smiled and if one listened carefully, one might hear the angels sing.

June always managed to look fresh, sharp and beautiful. During the times and days of our early limited income, June made many of the children's clothes as well as some of her own clothing on her own sewing machine in order to assist with our then very tight family economy. June also served as the family barber and cut the children's hair...June was so proficient as a barber that she frequently received requests to cut some of the neighborhood children's hair. I really do not know how she did it all...

After our child raising years came to an end, (June and I have four children and 21 grandchildren) I took an early retirement from my administrative job with a large insurance company (State Farm) after 32 Years and then plunged full energy into a second career of forensic science consulting. This second career was spawned and inspired by my early days spent (4 years) with the Army at the Counter Intelligence Corp. Center in Baltimore and with my free time spent in the nearby  Baltimore Police Department's Identification Division...this was followed by forensic research later published in forensic publications.

June became my administrative assistant in our new life which quickly became a life of adventure...as my forensic business rapidly prospered, it required travel through out the United States, Canada and Europe...I was fortunate to be a part of a number of high profile cases including the Robert Kennedy Assassination and the SLA assassination of the Oakland  School Supt Foster with cyanide tipped bullets...June traveled with me at least 100 times on forensic science conferences that criss crossed the US, Canada and Europe...I was fortunate in being the chairman of 4 such international conferences in the forensic sciences...Edinburgh, Bergen, Zurich and Dusseldorf...London became June's favorite city...June and I participated in the first ever forensic science conference in the Soviet Union during the height of the cold war in 1969...June and I danced the night away in Moscow's Rossia Hotel...in a visit to Rome 1973, June shook hands with Pope Paul VI during an audience...later during a conference at Oxford University 1984, June and I lived in the historic old student housing of Christ Church College...what a wonderful life we had. June and her winning smile made friends where ever we traveled!...June's radiance could change a moody day...June became a special plus in Stan's new professional career...

(Photo below is of June at the meeting of the Midwest Association of Forensic Scientists, Fairview Heights, Illinois in October 1989...nine years before her diagnosis of Alzheimer's)

It was after another 20 years and at the age of 77, as Alzheimer's took over our life, I retired a second time to devote full time to June's care... there after, I slowly lost June tear drop by tear drop...as June slowly slipped into the shadows of Alzheimer's...

I was so richly blessed by having June and her unconditional love in my life for 56 years regardless of the final cruel impact of Alzheimer's!

I owe June and God and unending debt...

I have often described June and my life together as a "Divine appointment"...I think it was clearly much more then just a simple blessing.

While I have also described it as "winning the lottery of life!"...it was God that handed us the winning tickets...

Thanks God!

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Stan's Note: (August 2020) Since page was created May 2012, approx.19,000 Persons have visited this page.

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 JUNE'S PASSING

June 1994

After an almost 12 year journey into the shadows of Alzheimer's, early one morning in late October 2008, an exhausted June felt God's gentle touch on her shoulder and heard the words: "Come Home June!" As June lay like a wounded soldier on a battlefield, it was God's Angels that ushered June into a Heavenly Kingdom to the sound of a chorus of Angels...and into June's new home, a "Mansion on the Hilltop", where there is no pain, nor illness nor tears...June's funeral notice as published in the Minneapolis Star in October 2008 can be seen on this website in the drop down menu under the "In Memoriam" label - just Click on:

 

"June K. (Rolstad) Berg - In Memoriam"