June Dolores Weidenfeller (Olson)

June Dolores Olson was born on April 28, 1927 as the first daughter of Harvey Seibert Olson and Gertrude Grant Olson, 804 Palmer, Missoula Montana; her sister Beverly was born 13 years later. June graduated from Missoula County High School in 1945. While in high school, she was active in the Girl Reserves all four years. This was a social club that among other things helped with the war effort, sponsored a summer camp for disadvantaged children and organized social activities like dances and Mother and Daughter banquets. June was the Club Treasurer. In her Senior year, June was elected to the Student Council. She had many good friends in high school that remained life-long friends. In high school, June also worked in the Northern Pacific Hospital kitchen. June had a lifelong passion for music and majored in Music at the University of Montana. While in college, she worked for the telephone company on the swing-shift.

June met the love of her life, Jack Weidenfeller, when they were both attending the University of Montana. Jack served on the USS Bunker Hill Aircraft Carrier in World War II that was hit by Japanese kamikaze suicide bomber planes in 1945 during the Pacific War Battle of Okinawa (Japan). He received a Purple Heart medal for injuries sustained in that battle. Jack and June were married in 1946 at Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church. After school, June went to work for the Social Security Administration in Missoula and Jack went to work for Harry Ormesher at Super Save grocery store, where he was promoted to run a store in Hamilton, Montana. Except for that year or two in Hamilton, where her uncle H.H. Grant had a ranch, June lived her entire life in Missoula. Jack worked in the grocery store business for several years and then in 1959, he and June started Fidelity Real Estate Company. June had a son John in 1956 and her second son Don in 1960. She loved being a stay-at-home mother at their cozy home on Jackson Street in the lower Rattlesnake Valley. In the early 1960’s, the family built a new home and moved to 1207 Ponderosa Drive in the Rattlesnake. There she made a great lifelong friendship with her neighbor Gertrude Buescher and her large family. When the boys got old enough to take care of themselves, June went to work at the Westmont Tractor Company where she met her lifelong friend Lorna Steinke, who she loved and who spent time with her daily the last several years.

June became a Real Estate Broker and joined Jack as the Vice President of Fidelity Real Estate and Development Company in the 1970’s, known for the development of Lincolnwood and Lincoln Hills. She was very good at her job and helped many people find their dream homes. She was an incredibly good and kind woman who loved her family and God with all her heart. June loved animals and had cats and canaries, but her passion and love was for her black lab dogs. June played bridge for most of her life and enjoyed weekly bridge games with her friends in their homes. She and Jack also loved antiquing together. When Jack became sick, she quit work to take care of him for a couple years. She made a decision as she was getting older in her late 80’s that it was time for her to move into an apartment and she decided to sell the house on Ponderosa Drive and move into The Springs retirement facility Independent Living area. June transferred to The Springs Memory Care area after contracting and surviving COVID-19 in 2020, mere weeks before she was to be vaccinated.

She loved traveling and took trips to Ireland with Jack and she took Don and his family to Hawaii for a cruise and John and his son to Alaska. She also took the family on a trip and cruise to Northern Europe and Don and his wife on a Mediterranean cruise. Montana vacations were also a highlight for her whether it was to fish rivers like the Big Hole River in Jackson, Montana, other various streams, or to enjoy lakes like Lake Mary Ronan (Camp Tuffit), Flathead Lake, Holland Lake, or Swan Lake.

June was smart, funny, kind, and loving. She was an incredible mother and friend and will be missed. She lived a long life of 95 years and loved life. She passed away quietly in her sleep. She is survived by her sons John and Don and their families; Don’s wife Debbie, son Michael, daughter Rachel (Corbin) and John’s wife Young and his son Johnny (Lili) and their children Hannah, Matthew, Aria and Arjoon. She is also survived by her nephews Brian Tischler and Brett Tischler and her niece Shaunda Tischler Hildebrand and her family. June was predeceased by her husband Jack, father Harvey Olson, mother Gertrude Olson, sister Beverly Olson Tischler, Uncle Jeff Olson, and Uncle Charlie Grant.

The family cannot thank her best friend Lorna Steinke enough for the friendship, kindness, love, and care that she gave to June, particularly in her last couple of years of life. We are grateful for the care that was provided by the staff at The Springs. We cannot ever repay the debt to her Hospice Nurse Terry Mumma RN CHPN and her doctor Dr. Whitney Haseman, MD for their help advice and loving care as June entered the last year of her life.

Visitation and rosary will be held on Monday, August 15th, 2022 at Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory from 5:00- 7:00 pm. A funeral mass will be held on Tuesday, August 16th, 2022 at 10:30 am at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Missoula.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Grace Hospice of Missoula County, through the web site at https://www.ghomc.org/donate, or mail a donation to Grace Hospice of Missoula County, PO Box 212, Clinton, MT 59825.


Livestream of Funeral Mass