Kathryn June Bocker

Kathryn June Bocker, 95, of Lindon, UT, passed away on November 6, 2024, after enjoying good health for most of her nearly 96 years. June was born in Compton, CA, on December 12, 1928, to Raymond Whitfield Spencer and Amanda Zelpha Hancock Spencer. The middle of three children, June was a child during the Great Depression and a teenager during World War II, gaining perspective that would shape the rest of her life.

During World War II, June worked as a telephone operator for the government beginning at age 16, and she continued as an information operator for Pacific Telephone after the war ended. Later in her teenage years, she worked for an insurance company in Los Angeles. During her two years of junior college, she worked as a secretary at the Armstrong Cork Company.

A devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, June's life changed in 1948 when she met Verlin Grant Bocker at a church function. Verlin, who was 31 and divorced with two children, thankfully thought 19-year-old June was older than she was, and she thought he was younger. By the time they realized their age difference, they were too smitten to turn back. The two California lovebirds drove to Salt Lake City to be married in the Salt Lake Temple on August 17, 1949. June and Verlin enjoyed the first 65 years of eternity together until his death in 2014.

June and Verlin had two daughters: Kathryn Belle and Julie Anne. June was extremely proud of both Katie and Julie and would brag about them (and eventually their children and grandchildren) at every opportunity. There never was a mother who loved her daughters more than June loved hers. June and Verlin raised their girls first in Compton and then in La Palma.

Besides Verlin and her girls, June's other great love in life was teaching. She worked hard to get her bachelor's degree at Long Beach State University and began teaching elementary school when she was 30 years old. She eventually also earned a master's degree from Long Beach State and spent fifty years as a teacher. Her favorite part of being a teacher was teaching children to read, knowing the worlds that open up to a child who loves to read. Some of her great-grandchildren's favorite photos show them sitting on her lap and reading with her - you can take Grandma out of the classroom, but you can't take the classroom out of Grandma.

June and Verlin loved to travel together, going on cruises, tropical vacations, visiting their adult children all over the world, and much more. Some of her favorites were trips to Hawaii, a cruise to Alaska, visiting Julie and her military family in Germany, and a trip to the South Pacific where they unwittingly met a tall, blond teenage boy at church who would later marry their Katie. June was a proud American and proud of her son-in-law and granddaughters who served our country in the military.

After spending her first 85 years in California, June spent her final decade in Utah after she and Verlin moved in 2014 to be closer to family. Months later, Verlin passed away at age 97. June remained in the house they purchased in Lindon, UT, for four years before moving into an assisted-living facility around the corner. She resisted the idea at first - "Those places are for old people," she protested two months before her 90th birthday - but came to truly appreciate not being alone at home, especially during the pandemic. As the effects of age slowly caught up to her, she rarely admitted to being old, but she did freely admit being glad to have assistance.

June leaves behind a legacy of family, testimony, love, service, learning, patriotism, and kindness.

She was preceded in death by her husband Verlin, her parents, her brother Raymond, her sister Mary Ann, her stepson Keaton, her dear daughter Julie, and her grandson Michael.

She is survived by her daughter Katie Madsen and her husband Reid; son-in-law retired Colonel Jeff Oeser; grandson Peter Madsen, his wife Noel, and their children Kayli, Caiden, Canon, and Lucy; grandson Spencer Madsen and his wife Leanne; granddaughter Elaine Schacht, her husband Danny, and their children Ben, Billy, Kat, and Sarah; granddaughter Beth Snider, her husband Jeff, and their children Lindsay, Logan, and Ryan; granddaughter Jenn Wilson, her husband Greg, and their children Carson, Kate, Carter, and Carissa; granddaughter Jackie Munn, her husband Erik, and their children Eton and Andy; granddaughter Jessica Rolf and her husband Brenden; stepdaughter Sherrie Murray; grandson Dwayne Keaton and his son Wyatt; granddaughter Valerie O'Keefe, her husband Patrick, their children Sean and Caitlin, and Caitlin's husband Arison and daughter Andromeda; granddaughter Teri Lutz and her children Michaela, Gabe, and Freja; grandson Greg Murray; grandson Raymond Murray; and granddaughter Rebekah Murray.

June's family would like to thank the staff and residents at Spring Gardens of Lindon for making her final years so wonderful and Serenity Hospice for their kind care the last few months of her life.

Funeral services will be held Friday, November 15, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building located at 465 W 700 S, Lehi, UT 84043. A viewing will be held from 9:45 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the services. Burial in the Lindon City Cemetery.

Please click on the link below to watch June's services via live stream:

https://youtube.com/live/0qa65YTlHhU?feature=share