May 8, 1927 – April 26, 2025
“Fly me to the moon” the song begins; however, June’s daily walks and hikes on Orcas Island earned her enough miles that she could have walked there. Her love for the island forests, wildlife, and watching the moonrise over Olga nurtured her throughout her life on Orcas.
June grew up during the years of the great depression and developed survival skills forged by farm living in the Sandhills of Nebraska. Her family later moved to Wichita, Kansas and there she met Johnson West while both attended Wichita State University. In college she achieve distinction in national debate competitions. Her love of debate honed skills that served her well throughout her life. June and Johnson were married in 1948 and began a life that encompassed his ministry in the Episcopal church and service as an Air Force Chaplain. Their first church posting in 1950 was to the Pacific Northwest and the San Juan Islands. This became their home base throughout their career.
During their many assignments with the military, June worked as a Red Cross volunteer, earned her Master’s degree in Speech Communication, and established an adult education program for service members. June and Johnson settled back on Orcas permanently in 1974 and both dove into the many facets of island life. June’s volunteer services included early work with the Orcas Medical Center, the Orcas Food Bank and as a founding member of the Orcas Artworks, providing bookkeeping services for the co-op. Her love of the island continued through her later years as she enjoyed the fellowship of Emmanuel Episcopal Church, regular bridge games, and being immersed in the beauty of the natural environment of Orcas.
June was preceded in death by her husband The Rev. Johnson West and by her sisters Thelma Kallam and Charolette Sweet. She is survived by her children Marcia (Cynthia Fugate) West of Waikoloa, Hawaii, Mark (Grete Sundby) West of Follebu, Norway, and Deborah (Dick) Hansen of Orcas Island; grandchildren Kate Hansen, Erik Hansen, Ben West, Bailey (Brian Leininger) West, and Odin Sundby West and great grandchildren Aevum and Huxley Leininger.
A memorial service for June will be held May 30th, 2025 at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Eastsound, WA. at 2:30 pm. Reception to follow in the parish hall.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any nonprofit organization that supports the Orcas community and sustains the island environment-she supported them all. God bless you June, we love you to the moon and back.
