June Marie Rimmer

Dr. June Marie (Collins) Rimmer passed away Friday, December 23, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. She was the only child of William H. and Eliza (Elizabeth Brown) Collins. Both parents and her beloved husband, James Rimmer (affectionately nicknamed) J.R., preceded her in death. June was born August 26, 1949, in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and her family moved to Indianapolis when she was very young. She attended Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) #37 and graduated with honors from Shortridge High School in 1966. Very active in her church, she accepted Christ and became the volunteer youth pianist for Phillips Temple Church youth group. June later joined Second Christian Church (renamed Light of the World Christian Church in 1982) and sang in the choir. Later in life, from her home in Seattle, June reconnected with friends in Indianapolis and participated remotely in Bible Study Fellowship (BSF). God and His Word were always in her heart and her thoughts, and they were also reflected in her actions. June attended Ball State University and graduated in 1970 with a major in English. During her time at Ball State, she joined with 19 other young women, who were known as the 20 Pearls, to become a charter member of the Beta Phi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In the fall of 1970, June became an English teacher at Arlington High School in Indianapolis Public Schools. In 1974, she transferred to John Marshall High School. She desired to help both students and teachers excel. She served as a Title I Consultant, Chapter 2 Supervisor, and as Administrative Assistant to the District Superintendent while at IPS. She moved into a more hands-on experience when she was appointed the first female principal of Arsenal Technical High School in 1990 where she remained as Campus Administrator until 1995. June spent 29 of her 53 years in education with IPS schools. Student academic achievement was a high priority for June. She advanced her academic success by receiving a doctorate degree from Indiana University, Bloomington, in Administration and Supervision and School Services Personnel. She spent her last years in IPS as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction. In 1999, June retired from IPS, and moved with J.R. to Seattle to accept the position of Chief Academic Officer with Seattle Public Schools. She quickly became known as a consensus builder and one who demanded that schools focus first on the needs of children. Although unassuming and soft-spoken, she created an agenda for change that would positively affect every child in Seattle Public Schools. Always willing to push the envelope to improve urban student achievement, her energy and enthusiasm was contagious at all academic levels. From 2004 to 2011, June served as Program Director for the philanthropic Stupski Foundation providing leadership on issues related to pre-kindergarten through high school. Upon leaving the Stupski Foundation in 2011, she accepted a position as Associate Director with the University of Washington Center for Educational Leadership. June remained with the Center until her passing in December 2023. This lady was not all work and no play. As a young girl, her summer visits to Fort Smith, Arkansas to visit with her favorite Aunt Rosie, and cousins, were spent honing her skills for the kids’ game of Jacks. Among family and friends, she became known as the “Jacks Queen.” June was also a competitive opponent in Bid Whist, the card game of Dad or Double Pinochle, and was known to “run a Boston” on you if you weren’t careful. Scrabble and Monopoly were also included in her brain-game collection. Later in life, she and J.R. were known to try their hands in games of chance at various casinos far and wide. During their 39 years of marriage, June and J.R. traveled extensively. Traveling and reading seemed to be her most favorite pastimes of all. They were always on the go - New York City to view Broadway plays, Disneyland at Christmas and New Year’s, Atlanta to attend the birthday party of her 100-year-old church choir director, New Orleans for the Essence Festival (more than once), San Francisco, Los Angeles, and many other U.S. cities for work and pleasure. They also visited Alaska, Hawaii, Africa, Asia, Europe, and Mexico. From 2021 until her passing, June was under the loving care and watchful eyes of her cousin Willa Johnson and her son, Stefan Johnson. June is survived by her stepdaughter, Sherrie (Rimmer) Rutland, goddaughter, Kobi Trice; many cousins in Arkansas, Ohio, and California; life-long friends; and old and new co-workers, who will always remember and love her. Services will be live streamed on Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery Facebook page.