June J. Campbell

June Joyce Harris was born May 4, 1926, in Donaldson, Wisconsin, the second child of Walter and Vesta (French) Harris. Sister Ramona and younger brother Clarence grew up in the depths of the depression. Walter was a lumberjack and Vesta took in laundry and boarders to pay the bills in a northern Wisconsin vacation area. Times were hard but there was always something to do. June was an accomplished ice skater, fearless swimmer, and intrepid explorer in the woods that surrounded her home. During her childhood, her parents divorced. Several years later Vesta married Lester Gabel and a younger brother Don joined the family. June attended local schools until high school where she attended Bethel Academy (later Wisconsin Academy) near Arpin, Wisconsin. After graduating in 1944, June followed her sister Mona to Pee Wee Valley, Kentucky to work at a small self-supporting Adventist Sanitarium. While working in the kitchen she met Ray Campbell. Against the wishes of family they dated, fell in love and eloped across the river to Indiana. They tried to keep their marriage a secret, but Mona saw Ray sneaking out of June’s bedroom window and the secret was out. Their marriage produced three children: Linda Rae in 1947, Larry Neal in 1948, and Gerald Lee in 1957. Ray worked at International Harvester and for the Bee Line Cab Co. in Louisville. Meanwhile June became a seamstress. She later took on the job of running the kitchen at Louisville Junior Academy to help pay tuition, so the kids could get a Seventh-day Adventist Christian education. A new cosmetology school opened and June began a course to earn her certificate as a cosmetologist. Shortly afterwards, Jerry made his presence known and her cosmetology career came to an end. In the 1950’s she would load up the children in the old Chevy to enjoy the week of camp meeting at Highland Academy in Portland, Tennessee. She would save for the book sale, so her children would have uplifting Christian literature. Every Sabbath was spent doing something special. These Sabbath afternoons included long walks in Bernheim Forest, picnics at local parks, visiting with friends and lots of Sabbath company. In 1965, Ray finally returned to the church of his youth and was baptized at the Louisville Fourth Street SDA church. Soon after that, they struck out for Hinsdale, Illinois, to work at the Adventist hospital. Through hard work and training, Ray worked his way from switchboard operator to Director of Communications. June went back to college in 1968 and earned a degree as a Registered Nurse. They were able to buy a nice home in Bolingbrook, Illinois where they became leaders in the local SDA church. Planning for their retirement, Ray and June bought a rental condominium in Altamonte Springs, Florida, that was fully paid for when they retired in 1993. As they began retirement, one of their greatest joys was their small Winnebago camper. They made several lengthy trips out West to visit National Parks and to visit June’s brothers in Arizona and Oregon.

June J. Campbell

May 4, 1926 - November 3, 2014