June Cheney

Rejoice! The Lord is King, Your Lord and King adore. Rejoice! Give thanks and sing and triumph evermore.

This hymn written by Charles Wesley in 1746 most accurately describes the theme of June’s life: Rejoice, give thanks, sing, and triumph evermore.

Rejoice

“Again glad” the dictionary says. This was June’s entire nature. This was what everyone who knew her witnessed. Raised in a devoutly Christian home where everything centered on God and the church, and every meal began with the family kneeling beside their chairs to give thanks and honor to the Giver of all things, she had learned to celebrate her life in Christ. June’s faith was continually demonstrated day by day throughout her life, which was a rollercoaster of happiness, grief, joy and pain. Many events, including the death of Wilson and June’s first son in infancy, brought her to her knees.

June Brockway grew up with Wilson Cheney alphabetically arranged to be irritatingly near her all through her years of school. Although she could barely tolerate him as a child, they eventually fell in love, in spite of her mother’s disapproval and concern. Although she eventually understood her mother’s misgivings, June often declared her love for her husband through many stormy times in their marriage and even as she looked back on her life after he was gone.

June was even “again glad” from the very center of her being while living at Ovid Health Care Center, in the midst of her 7 years of dementia and restricted by her wheelchair. This unique aspect of her character showed through in such a brilliant fashion that everyone—visitors, deliverymen, doctors -- who frequented the nursing home came to know and love June. She circled the halls continually in her wheelchair, interacting with everyone along the way, leaving a legacy of pure love, concern, fun and happiness that all agree will most likely never again be equaled there.

Give Thanks

June loved the singing of the Doxology. This was often heard coming from some part of the house when she felt especially thankful. We hardly ever had a large family gathering without “Praise God from whom all blessings flow” being sung in 4- part harmony before we sat down to eat. June praised the Lord in all times and places.

June loved: People, music, practicing for performance, her piano students, good Bible study, laughter, her vegetable and flower gardens, her lovely big home and large yards in Marshalltown, her churches, writing letters, nice clothes and jewelry, providing down-home hospitality and delicious meals, nature, camping, trees, ice cream, conquering the L.A. freeways, day trips to any of the Cal. Beaches, and she loved herself. In all things June was thankful. She declared it even on the darkest of days, even when she was fighting back tears. She glorified God with her praise.

Sing

Love of music, singing, and playing the piano seemed to be a part of almost every recollection June shared about her life. As a child, her favorite way to get out of doing dishes after supper was to immediately go to the piano and begin practicing. This irked her big brothers, but apparently it was effective, and she often talked about this with satisfaction. At age 10 she was already playing piano for the Sunday School orchestra in her church, where her brothers played C melody sax and violin. Soon she was also playing for Sunday evening baptism services. At age 12 she began taking pipe organ lessons and as a teenager took over as regular organist in their Grundy Center Baptist Church. As teenagers, June and her brothers formed a gospel team and went here and there around the north-central Iowa area preaching, singing and playing their music.

After June and Wilson were married they made their home in Marshalltown, Iowa and became active members of First Baptist Church, where June eventually took over as organist and choir director. Her love of God, music, singing, piano and organ was the driving force in her daily life. Wherever there was music in the church, June was there with her original artistic improvisation and beautiful accompaniments of hymns. Sunday evening church featured her special music and usually vocal quartets, duets and solos that she organized. Many evenings the living room at home was alive with rehearsal or the giving of piano lessons.

June’s head was so full of music that it spilled out constantly during the days and evenings at home. An innocent remark from anyone would trigger a song in her head, and she would happily break into singing. Or she would stop what she was doing and sit at the piano and play a medley of hymn tunes as praise to God.

Triumph

June’s resiliency and determination and self-confidence were part of her DNA, which was then supported by her strong faith. She loved to say something for shock value, often slightly offensive, or to create some fun in a gathering. She had learned to hand out smart comments as retorts to her brother, Bruce, and always seemed to love a good ribbing session, esp. with all the male relatives, including her sons-in-law.

June was a very intelligent, organized thinker and a natural as a leader in any situation. Her mother, a country school teacher before she was married, loved to challenge her kids in the evening with spelling words or would write vocabulary words on the real slate blackboard June’s dad had made and hung on the wall. They also played many table games together. June loved the two years of higher education she received at the Grundy Center Community College. Her intent was to finish her degree at Moody Bible Institute. But by Christmas of her first year there she was engaged to Wilson, and they were married the following summer, in the midst of the Great Depression.

June always believed in the promises of God. She preached them to her children. When life got tough, she also reminded God of his promises, and she rallied. Wilson’s decision to move to California and start a new life in 1969 was perhaps the most difficult hurdle June ever had to face. She packed up and went with him, leaving her beloved piano in Marshalltown, leaving her church and family behind. The road was rough. The adjustment was hard. Her health suffered both physically and emotionally. Within a short time they lost most of their life-savings to a bad investment. But June stayed the course, believing God; and together they discovered the faithfulness of God to turn the darkest hours into what became 30 bright and shining years for June there.

June’s musical talent brought her to a church where she once again could use her gift for God. Wilson, meantime, checked out the Garden Grove Community Church, now the Crystal Cathedral, not far from their condo. Over time June began to attend there now and then with Wilson. The doors opened for her to begin to use her music in that huge church, and a whole new world of blessing poured forth for her as she experienced church music at a level she could never have imagined this side of heaven! The Home Builders adult Sunday School class bolstered their widening circle of Christian friends. June sang in the Hour of Power Choir and accompanied their rehearsals. Wilson’s faith was ignited under Dr. Schuller’s preaching. June taught piano lessons nearly full-time, eventually teaching piano in the Crystal Cathedral Academy. She endeared herself to her students’ families, including the family of Dr. and Arvella Schuller. When Wilson died of cancer in 1984 June’s life continued to be full of blessing, adventure, determination, and courage; and she was constantly involved in the life of the church, bringing music wherever she went.

A series of mini-strokes began the downward spiral for June into dementia, resulting in a very painful turn of events before Christmas, 2002 that landed her in a psychiatric hospital and eventually resulted in a decision by her 3 children, to bring her to Michigan to become part of the community of residents and staff at Ovid Healthcare Center, only 10 miles from Joi and Bill’s home in St. Johns. Everyone who has known June has been blessed by their relationship with her, even in her last weeks and months of living silently with her eyes closed. She was loved and adored by all, which is truly a testament to the witness of God in her life.

June B. Cheney, age 94, passed away on January 19, 2010. Born in Grundy Center, Iowa, on June 21, 1915, the daughter of Willard and Elsie (Titus) Brockway. June was a member of Garden Grove Community Church (Crystal Cathedral) in CA and the American Guild of Organists. She married Wilson Cheney in Grundy Center, Iowa in 1936 and he preceded her in death in 1984.

Surviving June are her children, Darryl (Judy) Cheney, Joianne (William) Tennant and Linnette Horrell, 8 grandchildren, and 9 great grand children.

Preceding June in death are her husband, Wilson, their first child, Chester, also her sisters, Beth and Mariam, brothers, Bruce and Chester.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, May 8, 2010 in Grundy Center, IA. Memorial contributions may be made in June’s memory to Ovid Health Care, 9480 E. M-21, Ovid, MI, 48866, or, First Baptist Church, 700 E. Olive St., Marshalltown, IA, 50158, or, Crystal Cathedral Minitstries, 13280 Chapman Ave., Garden Grove, CA, 92840. To view June’s Lifestory Film or add a memory please visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com/memories/55312 The family was served by Osgood Funeral Home in St. Johns, MI.