A memorial service for June Beth (Blough) Sheaffer of Chadron will be held at the United Methodist Church in Chadron on Thursday, January 2, 2014, at 2:00 PM with Reverend Mark Crist officiating. A private inurnment will be held at a later date.
June was born in Nampa, Idaho on June 26, 1932, to John Earl and Ona (Rathbun) Blough. After graduating from Nampa High School in 1950 she attended McPherson College in McPherson Kansas where she met James (Jim) Sheaffer. They were married May 29, 1953, at the Church of the Brethren in McPherson. She graduated from McPherson College with an elementary education degree in 1954.
June and Jim lived and taught at Woodstock School, an international school, in Mussoorie India, where their first daughter, Cynthia (Cindy), was born. After traveling back to the United States via train and ships, including the Queen Mary, they lived in Kalona, Iowa and then Iowa City, where their second daughter, Cheryl was born. In 1958 they moved to Chadron, Nebraska where Jim joined the Chadron State College faculty. Their third daughter, Janet was born in Chadron.
June was fortunate to be a stay at home mom while raising their three daughters. She served as a leader for her daughter’s Camp Fire Girls group, volunteered for many organizations in Chadron, served on the Chadron Public School Board for 12 years, and was a long time member of the Chadron Culture Club. June loved spending time with her family, shopping with her girls, was an avid reader, Sudoku player, and jigsaw puzzle enthusiast. She and Jim enjoyed traveling and were able to visit 48 of the 50 states and many foreign countries. Her husband Jim was a sea-going cowboy on a cattle ship for Heifer Project in 1946-1947 to China and New Zealand.
After spending Christmas with her entire family, June died suddenly of an unexpected heart attack on December 28, 2013 at the age of 81. June is survived by Jim, her husband of 60 years; children Cindy and husband Norman Leithead of Scottsbluff, NE, Cheryl and husband Paul Davis of Omaha, NE, and Janet Sheaffer of Imperial, NE; grandchildren Tim Leithead of Bridgeport, NE, Sarah (Joe) DiGiovannantonio of Fort Collins, CO, and David (Megan) Leithead of Shawnee, KS; and great-grandchildren Cassie, Lindsie, Cole, and Logen; Ainsly; John and Amelia; siblings Marvin (Mary) Blough of Melba, ID and Lucy (Joe) Reeves of Boise, ID; and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Wayman.
Memorials are suggested to the Chadron United Methodist Church where they have attended for 55 years; or Heifer International, P.O. Box 6021, Albert Lea, MN 56007-6621 (www.heifer.org). Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Chamberlain Chapel of Chadron is in charge of arrangements.