June Schipper

(From Mason-Woodard Mortuary)

June Marion Schipper, 93, a Dothan, Alabama native, and longtime Crookston, Minnesota resident, passed away at Spring River Christian Village in Joplin, Missouri on Saturday, December 21, 2024.

June was born in Dothan on March 19,1931 and was the daughter of Jack and Eula (Seaborn) Segler. She graduated from Dothan High School in 1949 and went on to receive a Bachelor's Degree in Education from Alabama's University of Montevallo in 1953. She returned to her hometown after graduation and taught at Dothan High School during the 1953-54 school term. 

On June 12,1954, June was united in marriage to Vance Duane Schipper in Dothan. Ready for whatever in life awaited her, she came with Vance to his hometown of Crookston, Minnesota, settling on a farm Vance had purchased in Parnell Township. The next several years would see their family grow with the addition of four little ones: Ila, Quinn, Vana, and Leah. 

Even with the demands of her roles as wife and mom, June found time to teach for a term in 1957-58 at the Fisher (MN) High School, and later work as a copywriter for KROX Radio in Crookston from 1966 until 1977. For a period of time during the late 1970's she served as an assistant teacher for Crookston's Head Start program. June's lifelong love of literature naturally brought her to employment with the Crookston Public Library, part of the Lake Agassiz Regional Library system, where she worked from 1979 until retirement. Later on, she became an RSVP volunteer there. In 2008, June was named Volunteer of the Year by the Friends of the Library. 

She dedicated many years of her life to the Crookston Community Theater, serving on the Board, doing grant writing, acting, and working with the stage crew. In February of 1999 she and Vance were honored by the City of Crookston as Experienced Americans. She and Vance moved from their farmstead to a new home just outside Crookston in 2005. In 2020, June moved to Webb City, Missouri to be nearer to her children.

June was a devoted member of the Church of Christ in Crookston. For many years she served as a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher, and church organist. She was also very active for years in the Christian Women's Fellowship and Mission Study. In Missouri, June attended Connect Christian Church of Carl Junction where she was active in Sunday School and a Ladies’ Home Bible Study.

June liked the challenge of doing crossword puzzles and playing Scrabble. It came as no surprise that she was an avid reader; but it was rather amusing to note that she also enjoyed the newspaper comic strips, which she called the "funny papers." June and Vance enjoyed traveling, and very special to them were trips made to New Zealand and Hawaii. She had a quick wit and wonderful sense of humor and always saw the good in people. June found great joy in her family and taught them about love, faith, commitment, honesty, humor, and compassion.

Left to mourn June’s passing are her four children: Ila (Luis) Martinez of Wylie, TX, Quinn (Becky) Schipper of Bartlesville, OK, Vana (Peter) Buckland of Webb City, MO, and Leah (Steve) Hanson of Chetopa, KS; five grandchildren: Casey Pahlen, Madison Schipper, Audrey Buckland, Austin Buckland, and Alex (Sierra) Buckland; eight great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Sidney B. Segler; one sister-in-law: Audrey Schipper Murphy; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. June was preceded in death by her loving husband of 62 years, Vance, her parents, Jack and Eula Segler; Vance’s parents, Ed and Sylvia Schipper; two brothers-in-law: Dale Schipper and Burl Schipper: three sisters-in-law, Jean Segler, LaVada Schipper Hanson, and Walda Schipper, and one granddaughter, Brenna Kelley.

June’s and Vance’s cremains will be inurned together at Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston, Minnesota. A celebration of June’s life will be held at a future time. Memorials may be given in June’s memory to a charity of your choice.