Elma June (Blair) Williams

Home Going Celebration

Of

Elma June Blair Williams

Elma June Blair Williams, age 80, of Lenexa, Kansas, passed away peacefully, early Monday morning, November 5, 2018, after a hard-fought battle with Alzheimer’s disease.  June, as she preferred to be called, was born in San Angelo, Texas to the late Elmo Blair and Faye Turner Blair Moore, on July 13, 1938.

June has always loved Jesus.  At an early age, June was baptized and became committed to the teachings of God and the church. She was a devoted member of the First AME Church Kansas City, Kansas, until her illness.

When in 9th grade, June moved from San Angelo, Texas to Kansas City, Kansas, to live with her Grandmother. June graduated from Sumner High School, in Kansas City, Kansas, with high academic achievement awards and scholarships.  In 1955, at age 17, June enrolled as a Pre-med student at San Angelo College in Texas.  June was a pioneer in that she was among the first Black students to integrate and graduate from this small community college.   May 1960, June graduated with honors from Huston-Tillotson College in Austin, Texas, she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.  June was a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority.

September 1960, June married for a short period; from this union, in December 1961, was born June’s Beautiful Daughter, April Rashawn Williams. Throughout June’s life, April was her GREATEST JOY & SHINING LIGHT.

After receiving her undergraduate degree, June studied at Santa Rosa Hospital, in San Antonio, Texas in 1963, she became a registered Medical Technologist.  June was employed at St. Paul Hospital in Dallas, Texas until she moved backed to Kansas.  June was a valued member of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

June’s mother, Faye, taught June that education was very important.  June attended graduate school at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant Michigan.  June received a Master of Arts in Management and Supervision in 1979.

June gave 15 years of faithful service to the Veterans Administration Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri; this service ended in 1981, after which June became employed by the Overland Park Regional Hospital (OPRH), from 1982 to 2001.  June worked her way up to the position of Laboratory Team Leader. After retirement, June worked part-time at OPRH, from 2002 to 2004. 

June was a very warm, loving and giving woman.  Family and Friends were her passion and delight.  June’s favorite hobby was shopping. She loved to buy pretty clothes and shoes.  June especially enjoyed hosting, entertaining and spending time with her many friends.  June liked to travel when she could squeeze in the time from her busy home schedule.

June was a fighter and worked meticulously hard all of her life.  For over 30 years, June was a devoted and tireless caregiver, to both her Mother, Faye Blair (Turner-Moore) and younger brother, Charles Curtis Blair, until their passing in 2008 and 2015, consecutively.   In 2016, June was found to be incapacitated and became a resident at the Brookdale Assisted Living facility, Shawnee, Kansas.

In addition to June’s parents and brother Charles, June was preceded in death by her sister, Garetta Garrett of Waco, Texas; nephews, Leslie Blair of Houston, Texas; Derrick Littles of El Paso, Texas; aunts, Johnnie Mae Turner of San Antonio, Texas; Violet Jones of Kansas City Kansas; and her beloved dog Dino.

June leaves to cherish her memories: her daughter, April R. Williams of Overland Park, Kansas; brother, John Robert Blair and sister-in-law, Gerri H-B Blair of Smithfield, Virginia; aunts, Franciel T. Mason of Newport News, Virginia; Frances Weekly of Kansas City, Missouri; Opal Hampton of Pasadena, California; and Rosie Johnson of Los Angeles California; nephew, Laurent Blair of Richmond, Virginia; nieces, Lisa Crooms of Dallas Texas; and Lisa Robinson of Waco, Texas; a multitude of cousins, great nieces, great nephews, and close friends.

June, Thank You for being a wonderful mother, daughter, sister, aunt, cousin and friend whose sacrifices and unconditional love, was never ending and will forever be cherished and remembered.

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