June Elizabeth Summers Pike

June Elizabeth Summers Pike

On July 30, 2025, June Elizabeth Summers Pike stopped breathing peacefully while sleeping. Unveiled and unhindered, her life in heaven began. After the uncreated light of glory welcomed her home, one can imagine old friends greeting her. Perhaps first in line she met many who are in heaven because she shared the love of Jesus with them. This would be no small number since she has been sharing the Gospel a long time during her journey with Christ in various countries, on three continents, in multiple languages with the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Perhaps after that first greeting, there would be those from her family before she met her husband of 73 years, Harrison Pike. Then there would be those with whom she attended college at Ouachita Baptist College/University (class of'49) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, masters at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisiana (class of '78), and doctorate at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri (class of '85).

There would be many from over 30 years of service on multiple mission fields with the International Mission Board. Together, she and Harrison, pioneered the work for Southern Baptists in Angola, Africa and in the country of South Africa. Details of their journey together are described in Harrison's book, Confessions, Anecdotes & Musings of a Real Live Missionary. Their missionary careers were bookended by evangelistic and administrative work, planting churches in South Brazil, and biblical/theological teaching at the seminary in Belem in Equatorial Brazil. They never stopped sharing God's love.

June walked with the Lord for many years in many places, and in many ways, to include being President of the Girl's Orphanage in the state of Espirito Santo in Brazil for eight years and serving as Minister of Education of the Northgate Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri while on furlough in the mid-eighties. She was a frequent guest speaker at girls' and women's camps and etreats; she loved teaching her "JOY" seminar.

Most of you, however, will have your best memories from the last season of her life. June loved people of all ages and gave free expression of that love. Her smile grew brighter with age, always modeling grace in conversations, offering mercy to those who moved off course; she knew how to both ask for forgiveness and give it. She embraced life as she welcomed death, as an opportunity to share her love of the Lord Jesus with family, friends, and with hospital staff.

She was a teacher extraordinaire, a master teacher. Having already given 40 plus years in the Lord's service as pastor's wife stateside and on mission fields in South Brazil, Angola, South Africa, and then in Equatorial Brazil, she humbly returned to live in Northwest Arkansas in 1990upon retirement from the IMB, to frequently sit on the floor at the Helen R. Walton Children's Enrichment Center, where she held and sang to babies, taught two and three

year olds computer skills and Spanish, and poured her love into them for fourteen years of dedicated service (1991-2005). She was recognized by the Early Childhood Commission as Outstanding Early Childhood Professional of Arkansas in 1998. She joined the local Bentonville Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) James Bright Chapter in 1977 and served as Librarian for two terms from 2012 to 2016, helping many local young people learn about our

nation's rich historical heritage. In December of 2023, she was honored by The National Society of the DAR with an Excellence in Community Service Award.

Through the years she taught at every level from preschool through university and post-graduate seminary, both master and doctoral levels, tutored many students along the way and helped them gain their GED or taught them how to learn. She ended her career as faculty emeritus of Ecclesia College in Springdale, Arkansas, teaching well into her eighties. She loved God's Word and especially the book of Ruth where we are presented with a Kingsman-Redeemer in Boaz, King David's great-grandfather, foretelling of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate Kingsman-Redeemer.

Many will remember her last Lord's Day at Village Baptist Church where she faithfully attended more than 25 years of her life, having been one of its charter members. Her mind was as sharp as ever her last day on earth. Two days before she fell asleep in Christ, we saw her clap for the children on Vacation Bible School Sunday. Her worship connected generations of ministry. Her joy

was infectious. Watching her greet others with a smile, observing her whispered words of affirmation and noticing how she listened with intensity made her last Sunday a model. We saw a woman in step with the Spirit of God. Her life impacted everyone in the room.

Yes, we can still read her book, Just 9? A Story of the Visible Manifestations of Our Miracle-Working God, but we will miss opening her cards in the mailbox. However, one memory to frame in our hearts came last Sunday. Watching her say her goodbyes was something a select few suspected was likely to be her last handshake, her last hug and even her last wave. It was. What an amazing life June Pike lived among us. We give thanks.

Romans 15:13 says, Now may the God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in Him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with His super-abundance until you radiate with hope! And all God's people said, Amen.

Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to Eugene Willard Summers and Jennie June Winston Summers on June 27, 1929, she came to Christ at a young age. June is survived by her three children who recently celebrated together her 96th birthday: Donna Brown (Mrs. Kenneth Lynn) and David Pike, both of Bella Vista, Arkansas, and Daniel Pike of Alexandria, Virginia; eight grandchildren: Michael Brown of Arkansas, Joel Brown of Virginia, Stephanie Sakayan of

California, Andrew Pike of Virginia, Cristopher Pike of California, Naomi Pike of Virginia, Caleb Pike of North Carolina, Kiara Pike of Northern Samar, Philippines; and sixteen great-grandchildren: Hannah, Joy, Bethany, Faith, Josiah, Aidan, Rhys, Rowan, Dylan, Paz, Bishop, Kirin, Keaton, Lucas, Jackson and Crosby, multiple cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends. Of interest, she has living descendants from three continents: Africa, Asia and

the Americas, both North and South.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father, husband Harrison, four sisters to include Katherine Tabb and Marie Loar, and great-granddaughter Hope Brown.

A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at the Village Baptist Church, 380 Glasgow Road, Bella Vista, Arkansas on August 23,2025 at 3PM. Visitation will begin at 2PM. The family expresses its deepest gratitude to the loving tributes and words of kindness. In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Harrison & June Pike Memorial Scholarship Fund at Ecclesia

College: https://ecollege.givingfuel.com/ec-donate or the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering of the International Mission Board of the SBC: https://www.imb.org/generosity/give-now/lottie-moon

To God Be The Glory!