June Mordina Whaun was born in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 26, 1935 to the late Thomas and Diamond Whaun. She departed this life on January 17, 2019 at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital in Rockville, MD. She was 83 years old. Dr. Whaun lived at the Olney Assisted Living Facility, until her death.
Dr. Whaun was a board-certified hematologist-oncologist with a background in academia, translational medicine, public health and pharmaceutical clinical trials. She also held status a pediatrician. Dr. Whaun was brilliant in her knowledge of hematology to the point that she authored and co-authored several publications and presentations. Some to be noted: New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Pediatrics and Journal of Chromatography. Dr. June Whaun also had a patent for the “Hydrolytic Stabilizer” for treating Malaria.
Dr. Whaun entered the U.S. Army in 1978. Because of her studies in the medical field, she work for the military as an Army Research Physician-Scientist. In March 1996, she retired at the rank of Colonel from the Army where she worked at the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute in Bethesda, MD (Walter Reed Army Medical Center).
She was an avid tennis player. She loved playing tennis with the members of the Aspen Hill Club and working out with her personal trainer John. You would often find June at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC where she would listen to jazz, opera and several musicals. Dr. Whaun also loved to work to in her garden, plant flowers, and do landscaping at her home in Rockville. The New York Times was her favorite newspaper.
Dr. Whaun would reach out to others whether it was a phone call, sending a card, giving a gift for a special occasion, or treating for dinner.
Even until the end, Dr. Whaun was a no-nonsense professional when it came to caring for her patients and staff. Although she had Dementia, she shared all of her medical knowledge with the staff of Olney Assisted Living.
Dr. Whaun is survived by her two sisters, Patricia “Pat” and Mayling; two nephews, Michael and Cameron “Cam”; and one niece Cara (all of British Columbia, Canada). Dr. Whaun is also survived by caregiver and friend Gregory “Greg”.
“NO TIME TO CRY, DON'T SHED A TEAR. I AM WITH GOD. IN SPIRIT I AM HERE. I KEPT THE FAITH. MY SPIRIT IS LIGHT. I AM AT PEACE NOW. I FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.”
