May 5, 1925 – August 10, 2020
June was born in Arcola, Saskatchewan and her family Hi (Harold) and Bill (Bertha) Green and their six children moved to Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Later, the Member of Parliament (John Diefenbaker) encouraged Hi to move to Saskatoon so his children could attend good high schools and the University. Immediately after high school, against her father’s wishes, June enlisted in the Armed Forces. She went to Japanese language school in Vancouver, and worked as an intelligence officer in Fort Richie, Maryland. After the war, she met her husband Merrill Menzies at University who was also studying economics.
They lived in Canada and in London, where Merrill was taking his PhD in Economics. They had three children: Rebecca, David and Liana.
June worked as a volunteer chair of the Manitoba Action Committee on the Status of Women, changing laws to increase equality and civil rights, and had a lengthy career as a senior civil servant in Ottawa, including Chair of the Anti-inflation Board (1976) and Chair of the National Farm Products Marketing Council for 13 years. She was named to the Order of Canada in 1980.
After retirement, June and Merrill settled in Winnipeg, where she continued to do social justice work with homeless and AIDS sufferers. She moved to Maple Estates in Terrace in 2010, where she enjoyed the neighbours, walking, going to church, library book club, women’s centre, the pool, the Sportsplex, and every play, concert or debate at REM Lee theatre. Slowing down a bit at age 91, she moved in with Dave and his wife Charlynn Toews, where she enjoyed sitting in the sun, watching Turner Classic Movies, going to Tai Chi, and outings with friends.
She has two grandchildren, Mackenzie MacLeod (Rebecca) and Cameron Toews Menzies (Dave).
In lieu of flowers, please donate to REM Lee Theatre.
Char Can Cook Keto 