June E. Waalen 11/10/2011

June E. Waalen, age 84, Baldwin, WI passed away peacefully November 10, 2011 at the Comforts of Home, Baldwin.  She was born the daughter of O. Julius and C. Sophie (Berkseth) Anderson on June 19, 1927 near Hudson, WI.  June graduated from River Falls High School.  On June 10, 1948, she married Reuben Waalen at Rush River Lutheran Church in rural River Falls.  They were married for 59 years.  June had many great passions, but her main three were being a wife, mother and grandmother.  She was an avid supporter of her children’s and grandchildren’s activities.  She served in numerous positions in 4-H for over 21 years: general leader and project leader of Harmony Hill 4-H Club and delegate at the WI State and National 4-H Club Congress.  She touched the lives of many area children, teaching them basic lifelong and leadership skills.  She was a charter member of the Valkryien Lodge of the Sons of Norway.  She often worked as a volunteer for the Barnebirke, the children’s cross country ski race, in Hayward.   June was also a member of the St. Croix County Homemakers Association.  She and Reuben ran a home based Shaklee business for over 25 years.  This fulfilled her passion for harmony with nature and good nutrition.  June was a lifelong member of Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Baldwin.  She was a Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher for many years.  Her church circle Bible study group and Stephen Ministries were important activities in her life. Creating hardanger, a type of Norwegian handiwork, was a rewarding hobby of hers.  She stitched countless pieces and gave them away to family and friends.  June enjoyed playing games with family, cross country skiing, traveling, sewing, playing cards with friends, scrapbooking, and researching her Norwegian heritage.  She wrote her own autobiography, Gems Among the Stones.  June enjoyed volunteering at church, school and throughout the community.  June is survived by: son, Norris (Hollis) Waalen of St. Paul; daughter, Nancy (Gary) Stang of Eau Claire; daughter, Amy (Mark) Hansen of Amery; and grandchildren: Betsy (David Mole) Waalen; Marta Waalen, Anders Waalen, Erika Stang, Jordan Stang, John Stang, Kirsten Hansen, and Karen Hansen; and great-grandson, Ethan Stang.  Surviving siblings are Shirley Christenson of River Falls, Evelyn Dosch of Denver, CO and Kenneth Anderson of Cleveland, OH.  Surviving relatives include Donald and June A. Waalen of Hudson, John and Sylvia Waalen of Woodbury, MN, Myrt Waalen of Minneapolis, Curt and Mabel Waalen of Amery and many nieces, nephews and friends.  June was preceded in death by parents, Julius and Sophie Anderson; husband, Reuben; and relatives, Harvey Christenson, Margaret Sihler Anderson, Jim and Josephine Waalen, Erwin Dosch, and Ralph and Anna Anderson.  A celebration of June’s life was held Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 11 a.m. at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Baldwin.  Visitation was held at the church from 9-11 a.m. prior to services.  Internment was in the Baldwin Cemetery.  Funeral arrangements were through Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services of Baldwin.