June M. Schmoll

June Marcella Schmoll, 87, Pleasant Hill, died Monday, August 21, 2017, at Golden Years in Harrisonville.
She was born September 19, 1929, in Johnson County, Missouri, the first of four children born to Lee Willet and Thelma (Crabtree) Phelps. June's parents farmed in the Holden area for more than 30 years, then operated Western Auto stores in Holden and Pleasant Hill from 1958 to 1969 before moving to Blue Springs, where Lee served on the board of the Blue Springs Bank.
June attended school in the Leeton area and graduated in 1947 from College High School at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. She attended Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa, for one year before continuing her nursing education at the former Independence Sanitarium & Hospital. She met her future husband on a blind date and suspended her education when they decided to marry.
Ernie and June exchanged vows October 23, 1949, at the Holden RLDS (Community of Christ) Church. With the help of a GI loan, they began farming in 1956 with 240 acres, a house, two old barns and nine Holstein heifers. Over the years, their farming operation known as Pine-Crest Farms, located southeast of Pleasant Hill, grew to more than 1,600 acres of row crops as well as livestock and registered Holstein dairy cattle. They were the owners of a number of prize dairy cows, which they enjoyed showing throughout the Midwest. They received the District Balanced Farming Award in 1962 and were named Outstanding Farm Family by the University of Missouri Agricultural Economics Club in 1982.
June served for many years on the Cass County Extension Council. She was active in the Merry Matrons community club and the Pleasant Hill Community of Christ Church, where her husband served as an elder and pastor for many years. She enjoyed gardening and flower arranging, often helping decorate the church for services and special occasions. She was a loving, hard-working and kind wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and an anchor for her family and friends. In addition to their three daughters, Ernie and June provided a home for his nephews, Terry and David Betts, after the death of Ernie’s sister, Mary Catherine Betts, in 1971.
Before Ernie’s death on December 25, 2007, they enjoyed traveling, spending time with family, and wintering at their second home in south Texas.
She leaves three daughters, Donna (Larry) Pfautsch of Harrisonville, Sheryl (Bob) Young of Des Moines, Iowa, and Janet (Terry) Meyer of Pleasant Hill; two sisters, Lois (Les) Shaw of Toronto, Canada, and Pebble (Ed) Murray of Blue Springs; a brother, Adrian (Carolyn) Phelps of Holden; eight grandchildren, Tobias (Katie) Ford, Emily (Rodney) Boyd, Jesse (Jennie) Young, Hanna (Matt) Piepel, Nellie (Justin) Simon, Jubil Young, Tanner (McKenzie) Meyer and Jake (Alexis) Meyer; ten great-grandchildren, Zachary and Alexander Boyd, June, Faye and Leon Piepel, Wilha and Fern Simon, Elsie and Sloan Young, and Emma Meyer; and many friends and other relatives.
The family received friends Thursday, August 24, at the Stanley-Dickey Funeral Home, Pleasant Hill.
Services were held Friday, August 25, at the Pleasant Hill Community of Christ Church 1007 Timber St., Pleasant Hill MO 64080. Burial is in Staley Mound Cemetery southeast of Pleasant Hill.
The family suggests memorials to the Staley Mound Cemetery or the Pleasant Hill Community of Christ Church in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.stanley-dickeyfuneralhome.com
Arrangments: Stanley-Dickey Funeral Home, 203 N. Armstrong, Pleasant Hill, Missouri 64080 (816) 540-5550