June M. Wenger, age 86, of Stevens Point, died February 24, 2014 at Care Partners, Stevens Point after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. She spent her last days with her family and loved ones together with her husband Herb, smiling and holding hands.

June was born June 8, 1927 to the late Charles & Ella (Graf) Martens in Egg Harbor, Door County, WI. She grew up on a farm in Egg Harbor, attended Sunny Point School and graduated from Sturgeon Bay High School in 1945. Following high school, she attended Milwaukee State Teachers College and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1949. June later obtained her Master of Science degree in Elementary Education / Reading at University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 1978.

She married Herbert Wenger on June 26, 1948 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Jacksonport in Door County, WI. They were married for 65 years.

June taught first grade at various schools in Sheboygan, Milwaukee, Madison, WI, and Pennsylvania before retiring in 1988 from Washington Elementary School in Stevens Point after 27 years of teaching. She was very loved by generations of her students, and she even taught the children of previous students. She was truly devoted to all of her first grade students and remarkably she could clearly remember and fondly remark about each and every one of her hundreds of first grade students.

Faith was central to June’s life; she was a member of St Paul Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday school. She opened her home to college and fraternity students on the various campuses where her husband was a professor and volunteered her time helping international foreign exchange students with their conversational English through the Peace Lutheran Campus Center. She also volunteered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

She and Herb maintained close lifelong relationships with several married couples, friendships which began with June’s sorority in college; they often traveled together as couples.  She frequently hosted and attended gatherings of relatives, and she carefully studied genealogy and stories about family.  In her spare time, she enjoyed card games; playing bridge with friends, playing Sheepshead with family, and other card games as well. She also enjoyed golf, traveling, and especially spending time with her children and grandchildren. June was totally devoted to her family, students and friends. To everyone she ever met she expressed a humanity, kindness and happiness for life. She found the most happiness when she was teaching her first graders and helping others.

June is survived by her husband, Herbert Wenger of  Stevens Point; sons, Jeffrey (Vicki) of Malvern, PA, Bruce (Andrea) of North Hudson, WI, Scott of Stevens Point, and Mark (Susan) of Swarthmore, PA; grandchildren, Katherine, Sarah, Marshall, and Rex. She is further survived by her sister, Myrtle Felhofer of Sturgeon Bay, WI and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Robert and Franklin; and sister, May.

A Funeral Service will be held 1:30 pm, Saturday, March 1, 2014 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 1919 Wyatt Avenue, Stevens Point, WI 54481 with Rev. Thomas Petersen officiating. A visitation will be held at the church on Saturday from 12:30 pm until the time of service. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park, 6411 Plover Rd, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494 (Grand Rapids Township). Teachers, students and families of students are all encouraged to attend. In lieu of flowers please consider mailing a donation to: “Washington Elementary School”, 3500 Prais St. Stevens Point, WI, 54481 or “Peace Lutheran Campus Center”, 1517 Maria Drive, Stevens Point, WI 54481 or “St. Paul Lutheran Church”. There will also be a donation receptacle for your check at the church. Online condolences may be made at www.bostonfuneralhome.net.

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