June Jennings

June Lurene (Smith) Jennings was born in Coquille to Floyd Smith and Anna (Holmstrom) Smith in the fall of 1938 on October 9.

She lived her entire life in Coquille and graduated from Coquille High School.

She and her family were life-long members of Coquille First Assembly of God (now Center of Hope). She met her beloved husband Woody at church ‘right by the water fountain’ in 1958. She thought he was very handsome and apparently he found her lovely because they married soon after they met. And they spent the next 62 years in ‘wedded bliss’ as mom would say with dad adding ‘give or take a year or so’.  😉

Early in her life her parents recognized that mom was musically gifted, she took accordion (yes, accordion!) lessons at age 5 and began a lifelong love affair with any and (almost) all kinds of music. She taught both accordion and piano lessons for years and years (and years and years…).  Dozens and dozens of kids in Coquille grew up learning to play piano and appreciate music because of mom. Not only did mom teach music, she played piano or organ for hundreds of Coquille weddings and just as many local funerals. She played for community events such as school’s holiday concerts and the Missoula Children’s Theater.  For many years every summer Saturday evening mom would dress up in her Sawduster finery and play her ragtime heart out for the Sawdust Theatre performance, she’d run home sleep a few winks then up to play for Sunday morning Mass at Holy Name Catholic Church then she’d run over to her own First Assembly of God and play beautiful worship music for the morning, then the evening services.

At different times in her life Mom worked in the office of UniGas as their bookkeeper, she taught Pre-School for many years and later in her life she worked at the Coos County Jail as the medical clerk. In the middle of all this she and dad provided an idyllic childhood for us two girls. She sewed our clothes, cooked our food and waved at us all the way to the top of the hill when we left for school, she was always there when we came home.

Mom loved our summer camping trips on the Rogue and so many other spots in Oregon in our tent then later in our trailer. Later she told us that she discovered that metal shrinks when one is camping in the rain in a trailer with a husband and two kids plus their friends stuck inside.

She canned, she embroidered, she loved redecorating her home, she darned Dad’s socks, she made him breakfast every morning and made his lunch for work. She waited up for him every night when he was on swing shift. We fell asleep listening to classical music on the stereo and then Johnny Carson on TV, we woke up to her smiling at us saying ‘wacky-doodle’ was on the table. She totally supported dad’s hunting and fishing habit, although she did make him clean the fish. She happily, even proudly canned his catch and helped him make hamburger of the venison he brought home. Her salmon patties were very popular at potlucks. She was a relentless and methodical sudoku player. She had an insatiable curiosity. She always won the games at wedding and baby showers. She had a wry wit, but better yet always thought dad’s jokes were the best.

We want to keep writing about her, but our tears are starting to make this page too damp to write on.

As it became more difficult watching mom’s passing draw near, one of her granddaughters said ‘Imagine being so close to somewhere you’ve worked a lifetime to be’. This has resonated with us. As difficult as it will be to adjust to her absence in our lives, we know that Mom is now at home with the Lord that she has devotedly served all of her life.

She leaves behind her ‘Sweetie’, her beloved husband, Woodrow Jennings.

Her loving and sorrowing daughters and sons in law, Peggy and Scott Davidson, and Nancy and Jeff Gray.

Her ‘perfect’ grandchildren, Mike and Darrah Hashberger, Luke and Emily Hashberger and Kasie MacNeill.

Her even ‘more perfect’ great-grandchildren, Lilly and Trent Hashberger and Evie and Desmond Hashberger.

Her much-loved two sisters and brother in law Shirley Young and Patty and Jamie Herring.

Her many nieces and nephews are numerous and she treasured each one. 

In lieu of flowers, Mom requested donations be made to: Samaritan’s Purse, International Relief, PO Box 3000, Boone NC 28607, 1-800-665-2843, www.samaritanspurse.org

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of June Jennings, please visit our floral store.