Share Share this page

"I Never Thought I Was so Important"

"I Never Thought I Was So Important"

 

---

 

 

June

 

(June 1980's

 

---

 

"I NEVER THOUGHT I WAS SO IMPORTANT" 

 

"June, my beautiful, sweet, humble wife of 54 years...You are deep in the shadows of Alzheimer's and probably will not understand what I am saying to you...on this, your 79th birthday. 

 

I only hope that God will place this message in a secret chamber of your heart, where in another time and in another world you can recall and understand my words. 

 

I remember well, the time when you returned home very late for supper. I heard distant sirens and feared the worst. (An emotional call was made to our daughter with whom we had supper plans at the Legion Club.)

 

But then you arrived...all smiles and puzzled to see me standing in the door with a tear stained face. To my explanation you responded: 

 

"I never thought I was so important." 

 

My voice and words failed me...I could only hug you close...how could I ever find the words to tell you that to me, you are like the sun with my world revolving around you?"

You will always be the love and light of my life!...there will never be another You...If you travel into life's sunset before I do, walk slowly, wait up, watch for me, listen...for I will call your name...

                                                         Stan - November, 6th, 2006.

---

 

Stan's Notes

This tribute to June was first Published in the "Celebrations" - Birthdays of the Community section “North” of the   Minneapolis Star Tribune for Wednesday November 8th, 2006.

It was also published in the "Source" section, the following day, Thursday, 9 November 2006 th edition of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

It was published again in the 10th anniversary year following the original publication, Sunday edition, 13 November 2016 - Minneapolis Star - Tribune.

Note: This 2006 birthday tribute to June was the first such tribute that I had ever published in the Minneapolis Star – Tribune and also the first one that I published on June's website since I had created her website in June of 2008. It is one of my shorter tributes, but it spoke from my heart and perhaps more effectively than any other of my efforts since that date in 2006...June at the time of writing this birthday message was in her 10th year and the late stages of this terrible disease Alzheimer’s

---

Stan's Note: (16 April 2020) Since I first published this tribute to June, on her 79th Birthday, November 8th, 2006, approximately  20,600 persons have viewed and read it.  

 

---

Reader's Comments

Dianne Creel  - Concord, North Carolina - (3 November 2013): "I am so blesed to be celebrating my Birthday with your bride...(8 November 2013): "Wishing your lovely bride a very Happy Birthday as she celebrates and dances upon those streets of gold in her Eternal Home. I will remember her today as I celebrated mine right along with her...(11 August 2015): "So touching, because it was written from one's heart to another, regarding their LOVE!". 

Patricia Higgins  - Glasgow, United Kingdom - (3 November 2013): "My daughter is also on the 8th."

Debbie Larsen  - Buffalo, Minnesota - (3 November 2013): "Happy Birthday beautiful lady, you are a gift from God: Celebrate in Heaven. You will never ever be forgotten."

Vicki Cadogan  - Limerick, Ireland - (4 November 2013): "Very touching Stan."

Marsha McKneely Ault  - Nacogdoches, Texas - (4 November 2013): "Length of a tribute does not matter. . . it is the love expressed that touches hearts.  I know June has reread your words many, many times."

Christine Pickard  - United Kingdom - (5 November 2013):"You have written this beautifuly, put, a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing, Stanton."

Kelley N Jim VanWagner - Grants Pass, Oregon - (10  August 2015): "I am crying as I read this. I am struggling and your words helped me cry out my day. Stan, thank you so much for sharing."

Donna Dischert Blake - Havertown, Pennsylvania - (10 August 2015):"You sure have a way of expressing your love in a poetic beautiful way. You are truly gifted. Thanks for sharing."

Dianne Cogar - Springfield,Ohio - (10 August 2015): "Stanton, to express this much love for another human being cannot be done in a few words. But, it can, however be done in a single glance. You looking into Junes eyes was all the reassurance she needed in her darkest hour. I'm certain words weren't necessary each time you held her hand and looked so lovingly at her.. and I'm equally certain that there is a special chamber in her heart that holds every single ounce of the love and devotion you have ever shown her."

Mary Quigley - Athlone, Ireland  - (10 August 2015): "Stan you have a great way of expressing yourself through your thoughts and words and be able to put them on paper. You and June were blessed with a great love for each other. My Dad died two years ago suddenly after being married to my mother for 55 years. My mother was completely lost after he died. She went from a beautiful person into a shell of herself and was diagnosed with Dementia. I am her carer and she has lived with me since my Dads death. They had the love you and June have for each other and its something I will never experience in my life time. Life is precious and its only in certain circumstances do we realise it. Stay strong Stanton, you are doing amazing work and thank you from the bottom of my heart for sharing your journey with us. I love reading your posts." 

Rose Elley  - Seattle, Washington - (10 August 2015): "Stan, Your love for June is the greatest love I have known in my life, and I am nearing 50. Thank you so much, a million times over, for sharing the feelings and thoughts, your heart for June, with me via FB."

Kathy Land Rush - Marianna, Florida - (10 August 2015): "I love this picture and your tribute. She was a very lucky woman to have someone love her like you did! Some people go an entire lifetime without that."

Marsha McKneely Ault  - Nacogdoches, Texas - (10 August 2015): "Stanton--I really love this post. So many women only dream of the kind of love you and June have. heart emoticon Good night my friend."

Jackie Irving - Liverpool, United Kingdom - (11 August 2015): "Your lovely words stir the emotions Stan...you loved June so very much I cant begin to imagine how bereft you felt at her passing and still feel to this day.......but your lovely lady wife is watching over you and is with you every minute of each day....she must be so proud of you Stan ....as your children must be .....God bless."

Janet Ashenden - Derby, United Kingdom - (11 August 2015): "Lovely words Stanton. Very thought provoking."

Vea Flood - Spring Hill, Florida - (11 August 2015):"Nicely written Stan...just beautiful!!"

Patricia Speck - Cardiff, United Kingdom - (11 August 2015): "Beautiful lady,...Beautiful marriage...and you shared a wonderful life. You have been so very blessed my friend...God is surely with you."

Toots Scudder - London, United Kingdom- (11 August 2015): "Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful, Beautiful."

Sue Strayer Orcutt - Maple Gorve, Minnesota - (11 August 2015):"Such a beautiful lady. Always love reading all your messages."

Karen Chilton Hope - Liverpool, United Kingdom - (12 August 2015): "Your June is so proud of you, you've never forgotten her...take care." 

Sherrie  Penner  - Cokato, Minnesota - (26 June 2016): "What a sweet story...we should take a few moments today and tell someone how important they are!!...Thanks for the reminder, Stan..."
 
Kathy Williams - Riverside, Texas - (26 June 2016): "Such a beautiful and inspiring love the two of you shared thank you for always sharing Stan. MANY blessings to you and thank you for continuing to bring awareness."
 
Vea Flood  - Spring Hill, Florida - (26 June 2016): "Beautifully written Stan, always love your posts and what a gorgeous photo of June with a smile that lights up a room."
 
Paula Valentino - Palm Harbor, Florida - (26 June 2016): "You are a good writer, Stan. And she had a smile that lit up her eyes."
 
Catherine Jones-Hatcher - Richmond, Virginia - (27 June 2016):"This is one of your most poignant posts...You really have a way with words...so heartfelt ( at times like these ) So glad your panic was unwarranted that night...and your sentiment to June on that birthday surely got through on some level."
 
Jane Jackman - Ringwood, United Kingdom - (27 June 2016): "JSo beautiful Stanton. I have tears in my eyes. God Bless You!"
 
Rosemary Appleby - Scunthorpe, United Kingdom - (27 June 2016):"That really touched me, a lovely story, just beautiful."
 
Doreen Dotty McLoughlin  - London, United Kingdom - (30 June 2016):"This has brought tears to my eyes. This illness takes a little piece of our loved one each day. But loving them and having a lifetime of memories is what gets us through. During an interview the late great, Katherine Hepburn, when talking about Spencer Tracey, said "I have been lucky in my life, because I have known REAL love". Your words about your wife show us that you have also known REAL love and that is something for us all to aspire to."

 

 ---

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"