Eva June Phelps, daughter of Alva and Winona Crawley, was born November 27, 1933, at Cainsville, Missouri. She passed away Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at Crestview Nursing Home after a battle with cancer.
June attended grades 1 through 8 at the Moore one-room school house north of Cainsville and walked to school each day Grades 9 through 12 she attended Cainsville High School and graduated in 1951, as the quiet girl, interested in sewing and music. June was very musically talented. She and her best friend Jane were the winners of the local talent contest. The prize was a trip to Des Moines, Iowa to sing on the radio and cut a record. June loved to sing and play the guitar, piano, or the banjo. After graduation she worked in Leon, Iowa at a grocery store. During this time she met the love of her life, Merle William Phelps.
June and Merle were married July 19, 1954 at the home of E.C. Walker in Princeton, Missouri. Shortly after marring, Merle, he was drafted into the armed services and left for Germany. Two years later he was discharged and June and Merle moved to California, where they purchased a restaurant and operated for 5 years. As June was missing her family back in Missouri, they sold their business and moved back to Bethany, Missouri.
To this union one child was born Terri (Phelps) Fish. June and Terri were not only Mother and Daughter, but best friends. They loved to go on shopping trips together and never came home empty handed.
June worked at the Hy-Vee in Bethany for a short time and then in 1965 June took a secretary’s position at the First United Methodist Church, in Bethany. June held this position at the Methodist Church for 34 years. During this time June and Merle had built a diesel mechanic shop, Phelps and Landes Garage, and later to be named Bethany Diesel. June kept very busy keeping the accounting books for the business. After leaving the church position she worked at Pettijohn Auto for 14 1/2 years before becoming ill. June enjoyed her co-workers at Pettijohn’s and enjoyed seeing and visiting with them each day.
June had a tremendous amount of faith and read her bible every day and attended church every Sunday. The choir at the church was her pride and joy and she loved practicing and singing with them on Sundays. She enjoyed cooking, sewing and reading. June had a green thumb and had the most beautiful flowers anyone could imagine. Every May Terri and June would go flower shopping. No matter what the weather was like, you always knew when you drove by June’s house, that you would see the most beautiful red geraniums all over her yard.
June’s biggest pride and joy was her Grandson, Jeremy and his wife Sara, and Great-granddaughter, Stella Noelle. When Jeremy was in High School she loved watching him play sports and when Jeremy and Sara decided to get married there was no one prouder and happier than June. She was so proud of the young man Jeremy had become. June loved watching Stella Noelle learn and develop. Stella always put a smile on her face no matter had badly she felt.
June will be sadly missed by her family and friends.
Funeral Services were held Sunday, January 31, 2016 at Bethany Memorial Chapel. Burial was in the Miriam Cemetery, Bethany. Memorial gifts are suggested to 3 Rivers Hospice or First Christian Church in care of the funeral home, P O Box 341, Bethany, MO 64424.