June Katherine Pinkard Madden passed away at 5:32 p.m. on Friday, November 1, 2013 at her home in Carterville. June was born on June 1st, 1918 in Carterville, Missouri to the late Carl F. Pinkard and Wella Talbott Pinkard. As a lifelong resident of Carterville, she had a wealth of stories she would share about the town’s shops and characters, her announcing of programs for the Carterville Radio Station, and the trolley service she’d hop on outside her home on historic Route 66 to take her to her piano lessons in Joplin.
She matriculated through Carterville Schools. She served as President of her high school classes, edited the Society section of “The Tattler” (the school’s newspaper), sang in the operettas, competed vocally and oratorically at the state level, and as an accomplished pianist, enjoyed competing and performing beautiful piano compositions. She was the Salutatorian of the Graduating Class of 1936. She attended the Joplin Business College after graduation.
On August 29th, 1937, June and Karl Madden Sr. were married. In their first few years of marriage, Karl was stationed in California. After their stay in Oakland, Karl and June returned to Carterville and opened “Karl’s Market” on Main Street. For roughly three decades, in a building they built from the first concrete block up, the store featured colorful walls of produce, a full meat market, and June’s handcrafted signs of the daily specials.
June and Karl had three children: Karl Jr., Susan (Madden) Riggs, and Jim. As her husband’s health declined, June assumed full management responsibilities for the store. As a business owner and manager, she was a trailblazer for her era.
As a wife, mother, and business owner, June still found time to lead and volunteer for local political and charitable organizations. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and it was the local chapter’s cookbook that served as the backbone for her family’s favorite recipes. She was involved in local and state politics; she and Karl rallied for the preservation of Carterville’s High School and Post Office. June volunteered for political campaigns, and she was a familiar face at the Carterville Polling Place as an election volunteer. She also loved showing her political support by posting signs on her farm. She volunteered for the TB Association, the Carterville Cemetery Board, and gave countless hours to her children and grandchildren’s PTAs at their schools.
After Karl passed away, June worked for the Department of Motor Vehicles until she retired. Upon retirement, she tried her hand at new crafts and new recipes. She provided many magical memories for her grandchildren through sharing her love of the piano and learning new skills, teaching them to swim in her pool, and celebrating in the evenings with her patented fried chicken, homemade ice cream and candies.
June Madden was a study in class, poise, and steadfast character. She will be remembered for her wit, her laugh, her incredible cooking, and for enriching our lives with her knowledge and experiences. June was preceded in death by her parents, husband Karl Sr., sister Martha Pinkard Caughenbaugh, and son Karl Jr. June’s beautiful legacy will live on through her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and a host of extended dear family members and friends. She will be forever remembered and loved by daughter Susan (husband Robert), son Jim, and Fran Madden (wife of the late Karl Jr.), grandchildren Sarah (husband Adam), Katie (husband Greg), Corey (wife Maggie), Carey (husband Joe), Erin and Michael, great-grandchildren Carter, Garrison, Riley, Taylor and Joseph. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to one of June’s favorite organizations, the Joplin Humane Society.
Cremation arrangements were under the direction of Parker Mortuary. Memorial graveside services at Carterville Cemetery will be announced at a later date.
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