June Applegarth, 91, of Alliance died April 29, 2008 at Highland Park Care Center.
She was born April 5, 1917 in Whitman, Nebraska to William and Helen (Kamrar) Grouns. June grew up on a ranch in the Whitman area. She attended elementary school in Whitman, junior high school in Grand Island and graduated from Whitman High School in 1935. June earned her teaching certificate from Kearney State Teachers College in 1937 and began teaching in country schools in the sandhills where she met the handsome young rodeo cowboy, Barney Applegarth. They were married on March 3, 1940 in Torrington, WY and began working for various ranches in the Ashby area.
June and Barney bought the Smith ranch south of Alliance in 1947 and worked the ranch for 40 years. They raised Hereford cattle and Thoroughbred horses. June raised chicken and milked cows and delivered the eggs and cream to Alliance residents.
They retired from the ranch in 1987 and moved to a small house with acreage on Dakota Street in Alliance. June worked part-time in the Alliance Public School system and for the Alliance City Manager's office for another 10 years before retiring a second time when she was in her 80's.
June was a devoted member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church. She loved her God and her family. She opened her heart and her hand to everyone in need and continued helping and loving people as she battled Alzheimer's disease. She became a resident at Highland Park Care Center Memory Support Unit in 2005.
She is survived by her five children and their spouses, Helen and Norm McConnell of Alliance, Carol and Frank Stearns of Cheyenne, WY, Lisa and Steve Schmidt of Phillipsburg, KS, Donna and Gary Mentink of Osceola, NE and Roger and Barbie Applegarth of Alliance. She is also survived by 19 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren. Her sisters Marjorie Emery of Alliance and Billie Torrence of Salt Lake, UT, her sister-in-law Maxine Applegarth of Alliance and numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends also survive her.
She was preceded in death by her husband and love of her life Barney, April 29, 2005, her parents, sister Rosella Henderson, two infant grandsons and an infant great-granddaughter.
Rosary and Celebration of Life will be Thursday, May 1 at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Rosary Church. Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday, May 2, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Rosary Church with Father James Heithoff officiating. Burial will be in the Alliance Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the St. Agnes Academy Foundation, Nebraska Boys Ranch or to a charity of the donor's choice.
Online condolences may be left at http://www.batesgould.com/.
Bates-Gould Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
