June Rudder Fleming

June Rudder Fleming, age 76, of Tuscaloosa, Ala., entered into eternal bliss on March 28, 2019 with her family by her bedside. Her Memorial Service will be held 1 p.m. Thursday, April 4, 2019, at Christ Episcopal Church with The Rev. Dr. Catherine Collier and The Rev. David Meginniss officiating and Heritage Chapel Funeral Home & Cremations, a Dignity Memorial Provider, directing. A reception will be held in Randall Hall following the service at Christ Episcopal Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. William Rudder and Carolyn Rudder; grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. J.W. Rudder and Mr. and Mrs. Moses Slay; and nephew, Robbie Pritchard.

Survivors include her husband, Dr. John Lee Fleming of Tuscaloosa, AL; daughter, Dr. Jennifer Whitcomb (Scott) of Meridian, MS; son, John Fleming (Dava) of Huntsville, AL; sister, Jan South (Paul) Jackson, AL; brother-in-law, Buster Pritchard of Jackson, AL; sister-in-law, Margaret Pritchard of Jackson, AL; grandchildren, Josh, Kaitlyn, Lexi and Isaac Fleming, Baker and Jackson Whitcomb; step-grandson, Michael Hammonds; and nieces and nephews.

She was a devoted daughter, wife, sister, and mother. She graduated from Jackson High School in 1960 and from Samford University with a major in English and a minor in Spanish. She was very active at Samford and was president of her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha. She was a member of the Alabama Dental Association Auxiliary and assisted with her husband's dental practice. She taught school briefly at Jackson Academy and was active in many civic and volunteer organizations in Jackson. She also penned a popular column in the South Alabamian newspaper called “Jots By June” for over a decade. She was hands-on in her children's lives and served as homeroom mother for several years while her children attended Jackson Academy. June also served multiple years as the vice president of Little League baseball in Jackson, as a den mother of Cub Scout Pack 55 for which she received the Pioneer Award from the Boy Scouts of America, and as the state Spelling Bee coordinator for Jackson.

She enjoyed community service and served as the president of the Four Seasons Garden Club and as secretary of the Clarke County Library Development Board. June also served on the Jackson Library Board and led efforts to expand White Smith Memorial Library in Jackson. She and her husband, John Lee, were active members of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Jackson for many years, where she served as a Senior Warden. Upon retirement to Tuscaloosa, she and John Lee became active members of Christ Episcopal Church, where June sang in the choir and on the Altar Guild. June also joined and served on the board of the Children's Hands-On Museum in Tuscaloosa until her death.

June touched many lives during her 76 years through her many civic, volunteer and church activities.

She had a heart for people and enjoyed spending time and socializing with anyone she encountered – be it the produce manager at the grocery store, the sports reporter at the local newspaper, or the couple sitting behind her at an Alabama baseball or football game. She had many treasured friends from all walks of life, both young and old, and from all stages of life. June was comfortable in any setting and left no life story untold, no occasion uncelebrated, and no life ignored. Nothing was more important to her though, than her family. They always came first and she constantly kept them at the forefront of her thoughts. She delighted in being a daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother and grandmother. June was also a dog lover and treated the family pets (Byron, JR, Bear, BJ and Grace) like pampered members of the family.

June was passionate about all things Crimson Tide but especially enjoyed attending and watching Alabama football and baseball games. She was known for her red and white attire, Alabama football and baseball acumen, elephant and houndstooth accessories, football parties and tailgate food creations, and a special "Alabama'' room in the old family home in Jackson, Alabama. When it came time for retirement, she was insistent that she and John Lee relocate to Tuscaloosa so that they could be closer to and able to attend home football and baseball games, oftentimes with their son and daughter and their respective families. She was also known for her amazing cooking ability and her willingness to share her dishes with new neighbors, the grieving, and the ill. She specialized in southern cooking at its finest and had many signature dishes that she loved to prepare. Her most beloved and prized dish though, was her gumbo, which she served on the weekend of the annual LSU football game and other special occasions. e was chairman of the Jackson Academy Committee that produced the “From Eagle Cupboards” cookbook and contributed to and helped compile several other recipe books which are popular in kitchens across Jackson and Clarke County.

June had a lifelong appreciation and affiliation with the medical profession as her grandfather, father, husband, father-in-law, and daughter were all doctors. House calls, interrupted dinners, and helping others became part of her childhood and adult life. In her later years, June was stricken with an illness that made her even more appreciative of the sacrifices and efforts of those in the medical community. Although her condition was debilitating and discouraging, she often found comfort and hope in those that cared for her and provided therapy and rehabilitation services to her. She was so appreciative to the individuals and providers who cared for her up to the very end. Her life was a beautiful love story of a woman - her family - and the people that she encountered throughout her lifetime.

The family prefers that memorial donations in her honor be made to the Children’s Hands-On Museum or Christ Episcopal Church Choir.

Condolences may be offered at www.HeritageChapelTuscaloosa.com.