Velma June Young

Velma June Young, 88, longtime resident of the Fort Bent community, departed this life on July 1, 2014 at her home.  June was born on March 2, 1926 in Denver, Colorado to George Finley & Erma Ruth (Whitesel) Barrier.
 
She attended elementary school in a country school near her family's ranch in Gillette, Wyoming and then attended high school in Denver, Colorado, graduating from Denver North High School in 1943.  She attended Barnes Business College in Denver before beginning her employment as a secretary for Russell William Stover of the Russell Stover Candy Company in Denver, Colorado.  For many years, June was a homemaker, involved in church activities including Sunday school teacher and organist at Trinity Lutheran / St. Peter's Lutheran Churches; teaching sewing to students of Pioneer Christian School; was a leader for the Fort Bent 4-H Club; and earned her real estate license and her certification as Master Gardener.  June also worked as personnel manager for the Woolworth's Company in La Junta.  June had a passion and enthusiasm for life and loved to be challenged by new undertakings, whether sewing Easter dresses for each of her five daughters or reupholstering the many Packards or Fords that she and her husband, Otto, lovingly restored.  June had a love for literature and was an ardent reader of both books and internet.
 
June is survived by husband, Otto Young of the La Junta home; daughters Jean Scofield of Castle Rock; Annie (Barry) Alford of Saint George, Utah; Alice (John) Morgan of La Junta; Marian Young of  La Junta and Terri (Ken Ziegler) Young of Denver; grandchildren Chris (Candice) Siefken of Granby, CO; Dave (Misty) Siefken of Johnstown, CO; Erin (Daniel) Cook of Russell, KS; Nathan (Jody) Morgan of La Junta, CO and Ryan Morgan of Westminster, CO; great-grandchildren,  Jonathan Siefken, Andrew Siefken, Sean Siefken, Ashley Siefken, Ty Cook, Taylor Cook and Lexi Morgan; sister,  Beverley (Donald) Cutler of Portland, OR and brother, Hugh (Joan) Wagstaff, Overland Park, KS; sister-in-law, Tillie Hammond of Colorado Springs, CO; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter Chelsea Catherine Morgan; and great-granddaughter Caitlyn Grace Siefken.
 
 
 

Funeral service will be Monday, July 7, 2014, at 10:00 a.m.  at the Trinity Lutheran Church in La Junta with Pastor Rick Miller officiating. Interment will follow at the Fairview Cemetery.