June was born March 24, 1936 in Cleveland, Ohio to James Henry and Ethel Elizabeth (Holman) Brown. One of June’s fondest childhood memories was going to the movies with her mom. She loved Performance Theater from an early age. She took ballet lessons when she was young, and grew into a very skilled dancer as a teenager. Later in life, June was also intrigued with the skill of Tango dancers. She liked to be active physically too, taking classes in Chair Yoga, Zumba and Tae Kwon Do. June earned her associate’s degree in Nursing and was an LPN until she retired. She was truly called to care for others during her life. After she retired from Nursing, she became a volunteer at Integris Deaconess Hospital, greeting people and answering their questions. Frequently, she walked approximately seven miles within the hospital taking patients to their destinations. June had lunch with a special group of her retired nurse friends every month. Maintaining her connection with others was very exciting to her. June was also a self-taught artist, drawing and using paint mediums of watercolors and oils. Her favorite color was red. June had a green thumb and enjoyed growing and tending to her flower beds. Like her mother, she was true-crime buff, reading true crime stories and Agatha Christie novels as well. She could often be found watching true crime television shows, Downton Abbey, or horror movies. She loved jazz and her favorite music artists were Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Dionne Warwick, Grover Washington, and Barry White. June adored her dogs, a Shih Tzu named “Ming Toye” and her Lhasa Apso, “Alex”. She was a member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, collected tea sets, and loved her family dearly. Her grandkids were especially important to her. June was always very proud to be a military wife to her late husband, SSgt. Albert McKinley Martin.
June is survived by her daughter, Debra Elizabeth Martin-Barber; granddaughter, Tiffany Elizabeth Barber; grandson, Jonathan McKinley Barber; brother, Edward Allen Brown; and brother, James Henry Brown Jr.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Henry and Ethel Elizabeth (Holman) Brown; husband, SSgt. Albert McKinley Martin; brother, Edwin Holman Brown; and grandparents, Ethel Elizabeth Allen, John Henry Holman, Hattie McBride, and Nathaniel Brown.
A graveside service will be held at 11:00A.M., Friday, April 5, 2019 at Fort Sill National Cemetery, 2648 NE Jake Dunn Rd., Elgin, Oklahoma 73538
