June E Lankenau

Dear friends and relatives, the following are excerpts of remarks presented to the guests at my mother's 90th birthday party, April 2015. My daughter, Jenifer, is the author. June E. Lankenau Born April 3, 1925 in West New York, New Jersey. She has one older brother, Joseph. When she was nine years old, their parents moved into a different neighborhood where Joseph became best friends with John Lankenau, who was his age and thus, as my grandfather would say, I met her when she was nine, and her brother would say, she was the pesty little sister. In 1941, when the war started, June was in High School and the boys were off to war. But, coming home on leave from the service, John's eyes opened up to June growing up and was no longer the pesty little sister. On one of those furloughs, they decided to get married, before John shipped out to Europe into the D-Day battle as well as the Battle of the Bulge. And, June had her own battle of the bulge, as my mother Ellen was born that same December. After the war, they bought their first home in Dumont, New Jersey, my mother and my Aunt Laraine having made their family complete. Both of my grandparents worked for the American Can Company at their headquarters in NYC. Always interested in telephone communications, she was The Telephone Communications Analyst/Programmer for them, working with N.Y. Telephone and AT&T Coordinators. In 1983, the company offered my grandfather "an offer he couldn't refuse"- - early retirement after 42 years. So, they followed friends to Mainlands, Pinellas Park, Florida, built their house and enjoyed the lifestyle of that community: golf, bowling, travel and all the social activities they offered. After her graduation from Morris Harvey College, Aunt Laraine stayed in Charleston, West Virginia for a number of years, but then moved to Florida. Grandma feels fortunate to have her close by. Grandma and "Boop" had 66 years together before he passed away in 2010. Their wedding date is February 22, 1944, a national holiday back then, and my grandfather had my mother and Aunt (when they were really young) believing that the schools and banks were closed on that day because it was their anniversary. Ellen (Tony) were blessed with three children: granddaughter Jenifer (Jason), Sydney. Grandson Zachary (Janice), Jacob and Micah. Grandson Joshua (Erin), Molly and Asher. After living in Mainlands for thirty years, Grandma decided to follow some of her friends and move here to Lake Seminole Square. Here she is busy, happy and making new friends. Thank you all for coming to help Grandma celebrate her 90th birthday. Ten years have passed since this was written and Mother is at peace. Thanks for being a part of the family. Ellen