June Ann Deaner

It’s not famous people who make an impact on this world. It’s those who deeply love their families, serve their communities, and trust and nurture their faith. This is a brief story about our mother, June Ann Deaner, born on August 23, 1935, on Flathead Lake in Polson, Montana. An angel on earth, an angel in heaven.

June Ann could sing – boy could she sing. Throughout our childhood, she would start every day by singing “You Are My Sunshine” to get us out of bed. It was annoying for a teenager, but an endearing memory that is forever with us. That daily song was accompanied by a hot, homemade breakfast every single day of our adolescence. She would often get up in the middle of the night to make fresh bread and sweet rolls so she could send us off to school with a full stomach. She truly believed that it would help us learn and excel at our studies. To us, it just meant love and comfort. Whatever was left over was shared with neighbors and friends. June adored sharing her love through homemade goodies. Her culinary skills and her musical powers were just a few of the things that made her an angel.

More on that later. Let’s go back to the start.

June Ann started training to be a professional singer (a soprano opera singer) by her mother, Violet Isabella DeGolier, at the age of three. Her mother was a music teacher (among other things) and was determined that her children, Violet, Richard, and June Ann, would carry forth her artistic talents. That same year, June Ann’s father, Elmer DeGolier, died from mustard gas complications that he encountered in World War I. June’s angelic musical gift carried her through those difficult times, as did her love for her mother, brother and sister. She threw her heart into developing that magnificent voice.

That voice took her to the University of Montana, where June Ann earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music. During that time, she also picked up five languages and an unusual talent for math, which later earned her membership with MENSA. Of greatest note, she had immense pride that her high “C” voice pitch once shattered a glass. A true accomplishment for a professional opera singer.

Her next stop? Washington, D.C. She had her sights set on performing with the Washington Opera. Her beloved brother, Richard DeGolier, had settled in D.C. June packed up her bags, moved in with her brother, and started to turn those dreams into reality. She landed a job with an accounting firm and started performing with the Washington Opera. She worked, she sang, and then she met our father, Louis Nicholas Deaner.

This changed the trajectory of June’s musical ambitions. She had been offered a scholarship for a master’s program at Julliard to further refine that angelic voice. But more than anything, June wanted a family. She wanted to be a mother. So, she pivoted and followed her heart and stayed in D.C. to start a family.

And that was the beginning of her true gift to this world as “best mom ever”. She often told us it was her calling to be a mother. As her children, we firmly agree that her decisions were the right ones.

June Ann never missed a sporting or scouting event, a musical concert, or a dance recital. She knitted Barbie clothes, threw a baseball, went camping, and was there for anything and everything. She was always there, cheering on her children and her community. She was there for every tear, every scraped knee and broken bone, every college and career decision, every heartache, and every heart win.

She made sure that her children’s moral foundation was further strengthened by her love of God and strong involvement in the church. June also shared her musical gifts with her church throughout her entire life – as choir member and director. She sang at countless weddings, funerals, and holiday celebrations. Mom’s solo rendition of Ave Maria is forever engrained in our hearts and will stay with us (and many others) forever. Her voice brought many to tears of joy with her ability to share her love and deep emotion through her vocal gift.

As we started our own lives, our circle expanded and she shared her love and faith with our families, including Byron’s wonderful wife, Jennifer, and their two children, Nick and Ben. Nicole married John Cerri and had two children, Max and Ty. June Ann loved and adored her grandchildren and was so very proud of their accomplishments and their character.

June Ann leaves behind many family members and friends who loved and adored her- as she did them. She leaves behind her son, Byron Louis Deaner, and his wife, Jennifer Marie Deaner, and their two children, Nicholas William Deaner and Benjamin James Deaner. She also leaves behind her daughter, Nicole Anne Deaner, and her husband, John Vincent Cerri, and their two children, Maximillian Vincenzo Cerri and Tiberius Louis Cerri. She also leaves behind her former husband, Louis Nicholas Deaner, and his wife, Stephanie Deaner, with whom she shared a close friendship with throughout her life.

Mom (aka Joyful June Ann) - we take comfort in knowing that you are singing with the Angels. We love you, mom.

We would be honored and grateful for family members and friends to consider contributing to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America in June Ann’s name via this link – https://apps.alzfdn.org/memorialfundraising?PFR=399

Cremation was provided by Butler Cremation Tribute Center.

The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home - Springfield, 900 S. Sixth St., Springfield.