June C. Roof

I was blessed to have her living with DB and me for seven weeks prior to her death. It was a time of happiness, laughter and sharing of memories…some of which I had tucked away which she brought to life. The stories she told of her childhood…playing in the yard with Daddy and her sister and neighborhood friends when she was five and Daddy was six…swinging from tree branches, playing tag, roller skating up and down the sidewalk…later with her and Daddy walking hand and hand home from school, eating hot dogs and jitterbug dancing at the Cozy Corner and Daddy being so bashful that she finally grabbed his hand in the movie because he was too shy to try to hold her hand and how it dripped of sweat…how they rode the bus to and from the movies and him walking her home up Olympia Avenue after she had him holding her hand was down pat…only to her asking him after dating a long while when he was going to kiss her…she said he turned as white as a sheet and she thought he was going to faint so she grabbed him and smooched him and ran up her porch steps into the house! She went upstairs to her room and peeked out the window to see if she could see him walking up the street…she laughed and laughed when she saw him standing dazed right where she left him. Mom played basketball and Dad played football…they were each other’s biggest fans.

The love story blossomed and bloomed with James Dewey Roof and Marylin June Cameron married November 29, 1945. Daddy was a Navy man and while in port, he and some of his Navy buddies took a walk and chanced upon a record store with a recording booth in the rear of the store. He recorded a song where he sang “It’s Only a Paper Moon” and then whistled it…he was truly talented…he ended the recording with “I love you Junie Moon…I really do.” I started calling her Junie Moon after Dad passed…it always brought a smile to her face and often a giggle. I am still looking for that 78 record! Out of their marriage came James Dewey Roof, Jr. and Janet Lynn Roof. We blessed them with five grandchildren…Dewey Roof, Jonathan Roof, Jennifer Easton, Ben Easton and Jamie Roof. They blessed them with 13 great grandchildren…Emma and Adeline Roof (Dewey’s), Gracie and Alston Brooks (Jennifer’s), Jack, Katie, Sarah Ann, Emily June and Luke Easton (Ben’s),Cameron and Maddox Roof and Taylor and Caleigh Wray (Jamie’s).

Due to Covid, a graveside service and visitation will be held at Elmwood Cemetery in Columbia, SC on Sunday, October 3 at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, please honor our mom, Junie Moon, grandma, Blue Grandma with a donation to Lighthouse Hospice. Our family was blessed with Stephanie, Brandy, Charlene, Theresa and Faith from Lighthouse…the love, compassion and smiles they shared on each and every home visit left us daily with happiness and peace. Mom was always excited when she knew one was coming each day…DB sat right next to her and let her know when they drove up...she loved each one of them and truly they fell in love with her. Through donations, they have the ability to fill in with needs not covered by an individual’s insurance. Thank you for giving a gift that keeps on giving when needs are there. God bless every one of you for sharing in Mom’s life and loving her with a lifetime of memories that she amazed me with recalling.