1926
June
2016
June Leah (Pahljina) Witte-Jensen
April 29, 1926 — July 8, 2016
June Leah Pahljina was born on April 29, 1926 in Winona, Missouri, first child of Joseph and Martha Ross Pahljina. The family moved to Rocky Ford, Colorado when June was 4 years old. She attended Rocky Ford Schools before the family moved to Ordway where she graduated from high school in 1944.
She joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps as a student nurse, but the war ended before she could be called for duty. While attending CU, June was baptized at a Baptist church near campus. She graduated from Colorado University in 1948 with a degree in nursing. Recruited by the Wray Hospital, she moved to Wray, Colorado to begin her career as a registered nurse. Many loyal and lifelong friendships were made during that time, notably dear friend Trudy Wenger Mullison Grabowski and numerous others.
She married Wray native Wayne Witte on January 6, 1952. After being instructed by Pastor Elmshauser she joined St. John's Lutheran Church in Vernon. Newlyweds Wayne and June purchased a farm south of Vernon raising wheat and cattle. Throughout their married life they enjoyed the company of a special group of friends they referred to as the Supper Club.
Children born to June and Wayne were Carolyn Louise in 1953, Steven Joseph in 1956, and Paul Frederick in 1961.
They were dealt a hard blow in 1965 when they lost their four year old son Paul to leukemia which was incurable at that time. June resumed her nursing career at the Wray Hospital and Wayne soon purchased a TV sales and service business which he called Witte TV. The family moved to Wray in the summer of 1966 and later June became the bookkeeper for the TV business. When an opportunity came for another return to nursing, this time at the Wray Clinic, she gladly took it. She enjoyed her years in the clinic very much.
June and Wayne traveled widely in the US and beyond, including Montreal for the World's Fair in 1967, California for the Rose Bowl Parade in 1970, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and others, sometimes by private plane with Wayne as the pilot. They went to Spain and Morocco in 1975 with a business group.
June was a member of Las Veinte women's service club. She served as Vice Chairman of the Yuma County Republican Club several years. She served faithfully at her church by teaching kindergarten Sunday School for many years and also as a member of the Altar Guild. She was generous in her support of many mission and charitable causes of her church. "Serve the Lord with gladness." Psalm 100:2
In 1994 June retired from nursing to become a full-time family caregiver. Her husband Wayne passed away in 1996.
On February 15, 1998 she married Donald Jensen. She and Don traveled to Hawaii and later to Australia where she enjoyed meeting her cousin and his family for the first time, the only members of her Yugoslav father's extended family she ever met. Don passed away in 2007.
On July 8, 2016, at age 90 and after many health difficulties, June passed to eternal glory at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray. "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelations 2:10
June is predeceased by her parents Joseph and Martha Pahljina, brother John Pahljina, sister Betty Gatlin, husband Wayne Witte, husband Don Jensen, son Paul Witte, brothers-in-law Clarence, Richard, and Dean Witte, and George Fix, and sister-in-law Barbara Witte.
Survivors include daughter Carol and husband Floyd Brown of Wray, son Steve and wife Mary Kay of Pueblo. Grandson Jay Brown and wife Mary of Boise, Idaho and great-grandchildren Reagan, Tiernan and Neve Brown.
Grandson Thomas Brown and wife Lucy of Mitchell, South Dakota and great-grandchildren Zeke, Jackson, Olivia, Lydia, David, Mary and Anna. Grandson Kenny Witte and wife Jordyn of Pueblo and granddaughter Libby Brown of Fort Collins. In-laws Harley and Peggy Witte, Shirley Witte, Cleora Fix, and Houston Gatlin of Wickenburg, Arizona as well as a great number of nieces, nephews, and friends.
A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home, 427 Adams Street, Wray, Colorado from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Funeral Services will be held at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Wray, Colorado, Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Larry Ziegler officiating.
Interment will be held in the Glendale Cemetery in Vernon, Colorado.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church or the Hillcrest Activities Fund or a charity of your choice.
Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
She joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps as a student nurse, but the war ended before she could be called for duty. While attending CU, June was baptized at a Baptist church near campus. She graduated from Colorado University in 1948 with a degree in nursing. Recruited by the Wray Hospital, she moved to Wray, Colorado to begin her career as a registered nurse. Many loyal and lifelong friendships were made during that time, notably dear friend Trudy Wenger Mullison Grabowski and numerous others.
She married Wray native Wayne Witte on January 6, 1952. After being instructed by Pastor Elmshauser she joined St. John's Lutheran Church in Vernon. Newlyweds Wayne and June purchased a farm south of Vernon raising wheat and cattle. Throughout their married life they enjoyed the company of a special group of friends they referred to as the Supper Club.
Children born to June and Wayne were Carolyn Louise in 1953, Steven Joseph in 1956, and Paul Frederick in 1961.
They were dealt a hard blow in 1965 when they lost their four year old son Paul to leukemia which was incurable at that time. June resumed her nursing career at the Wray Hospital and Wayne soon purchased a TV sales and service business which he called Witte TV. The family moved to Wray in the summer of 1966 and later June became the bookkeeper for the TV business. When an opportunity came for another return to nursing, this time at the Wray Clinic, she gladly took it. She enjoyed her years in the clinic very much.
June and Wayne traveled widely in the US and beyond, including Montreal for the World's Fair in 1967, California for the Rose Bowl Parade in 1970, Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Arkansas, Wisconsin, and others, sometimes by private plane with Wayne as the pilot. They went to Spain and Morocco in 1975 with a business group.
June was a member of Las Veinte women's service club. She served as Vice Chairman of the Yuma County Republican Club several years. She served faithfully at her church by teaching kindergarten Sunday School for many years and also as a member of the Altar Guild. She was generous in her support of many mission and charitable causes of her church. "Serve the Lord with gladness." Psalm 100:2
In 1994 June retired from nursing to become a full-time family caregiver. Her husband Wayne passed away in 1996.
On February 15, 1998 she married Donald Jensen. She and Don traveled to Hawaii and later to Australia where she enjoyed meeting her cousin and his family for the first time, the only members of her Yugoslav father's extended family she ever met. Don passed away in 2007.
On July 8, 2016, at age 90 and after many health difficulties, June passed to eternal glory at Hillcrest Care Center in Wray. "Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelations 2:10
June is predeceased by her parents Joseph and Martha Pahljina, brother John Pahljina, sister Betty Gatlin, husband Wayne Witte, husband Don Jensen, son Paul Witte, brothers-in-law Clarence, Richard, and Dean Witte, and George Fix, and sister-in-law Barbara Witte.
Survivors include daughter Carol and husband Floyd Brown of Wray, son Steve and wife Mary Kay of Pueblo. Grandson Jay Brown and wife Mary of Boise, Idaho and great-grandchildren Reagan, Tiernan and Neve Brown.
Grandson Thomas Brown and wife Lucy of Mitchell, South Dakota and great-grandchildren Zeke, Jackson, Olivia, Lydia, David, Mary and Anna. Grandson Kenny Witte and wife Jordyn of Pueblo and granddaughter Libby Brown of Fort Collins. In-laws Harley and Peggy Witte, Shirley Witte, Cleora Fix, and Houston Gatlin of Wickenburg, Arizona as well as a great number of nieces, nephews, and friends.
A Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home, 427 Adams Street, Wray, Colorado from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Funeral Services will be held at the Calvary Lutheran Church in Wray, Colorado, Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Larry Ziegler officiating.
Interment will be held in the Glendale Cemetery in Vernon, Colorado.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be made to Calvary Lutheran Church or the Hillcrest Activities Fund or a charity of your choice.
Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of June Leah (Pahljina) Witte-Jensen, please visit our flower store.
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