Obituary of Laura (June) Dunbar

June 12, 1932 – Hanley, Saskatchewan

September 26, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

Laura June Dunbar, of Calgary, AB, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 26, 2022, at the age of 90 years with family members and caregivers at her side.

A loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother (known as GG to her great-grandkids), and a devoted friend to many in Calgary and her previous long-time home of Saskatoon, June leaves everyone who knew her with cherished memories of her generosity, thoughtfulness, and humour.

June was born on a farm near Hanley, Saskatchewan, on June 12, 1932, to Elizabeth Mary (Maloney) and Robert Douglas Mawson. The youngest of four children, who all loved school and learning, June was patiently instructed in multiplication tables on a small blackboard by brother Jack. Sister Eleanor, who wrote stories and poems, spun tales about “Wonderland” — a bluff of trees on the farm, where fairies wore cobweb dresses and elves rode the brown moles the children sometimes saw when they went to round up the cows for the evening. Sister Leona and June played dolls and cowboys by the hour (Leona was Jim; June was Tim; their horses were smooth tree branches).

An important person in June’s life was Jim Mawson, a cousin who co-partnered with the family on his ranch. Jim drove June and Leona to the rural, one-room Whoosier school in a wagon in the summer or a cutter in the winter, organized summer picnics for friends and neighbors, and helped expand the ranching operation.

While growing up on the ranch, June and Leona belonged to the Canadian Girls in Training, a church-based organization that offered creative, outdoor, and athletic programs to girls and young women. In 1948, the local C.G.I.T. chapter staged a play in Dundurn Hall (Aunt Susie Shoots the Works!) and held a tea and tag day, where June was chosen Queen of the May.

The sisters also played on the Hanley girls’ softball team. Their enthusiasm was such that they were allowed to compete at sports days in neighbouring towns—even during haying season. June also entered sprint events at school track meets, winning numerous red ribbons.

In 1948, June met the love of her life, Lloyd Robert Dunbar. Shortly after June completed high school in Dundurn, the young couple married on July 29, 1950. They soon relocated to Saskatoon, where they had three children: William, David, and Jacqueline.

In 1963, June began a 23-year-career with the Hudson’s Bay Company, first as a floor clerk and then as a supervisor in stock records. She continued to work for The Bay after she and Lloyd moved to Calgary in 1978, eventually retiring in 1986.

June enjoyed curling all her adult life and achieved her ambition of curling until age 80 with the North Hill Curling Club in Calgary. As a second, she was known for her precision in-turn shots. She developed her natural artistic abilities by studying acrylic and watercolour painting with a local art club, focussing on landscapes of the prairies and Rockies. Always an avid reader, she belonged to a book club that met monthly. Her favourite selections were novels that spanned generations. She also was a daily newspaper reader and crossword puzzle enthusiast.

Her most memorable vacations were road trips—Lloyd at the wheel, June riding shotgun with a coffee thermos at her feet and a map in her lap, and a trailer stuffed with supplies bouncing along behind. Getaways took them to Vancouver Island, the Maritimes and many destinations in between. An epic excursion to Alaska included a special passenger, Leona.

June accomplished much throughout her life and was particularly proud of her family. She was blessed with lifelong friendships, many nurtured in the farming communities where she grew up and others in the tight-knit Saskatoon neighbourhood of Montgomery Place, established for veterans of the First and Second World Wars and their families.

June is survived by her sister Leona Mary (Mawson) Pollock and sister-in-law Florence Mawson; her children William (Sharon), David (Alison), and Jacqueline (Keith); grandchildren Brennan Dunbar (Rebecca), Jennifer Konyha (Dan), Evan Dunbar, Oliver Dunbar, Scott Wong (Faaria), and Audrey Wong (Mike); great-grandchildren Will and Rachel, Callaghan and Coltrane; and numerous nieces and nephews.

June was predeceased by husband Lloyd, brother John William (Jack) Mawson and sister Doris Eleanor (Mawson) Campbell.

The family gives heartfelt thanks to all of the staff at AgeCare Glenmore for their love and compassion while taking such good care of June.

A Celebration of June’s Life will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. at McInnis & Holloway Deerfoot (12281 40th Street SE Calgary), with a reception to follow. There will be a private family graveside service. Family and friends who are unable to attend the memorial in person are invited to join June’s service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed here.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to The Alzheimer Society of Calgary, 800, 7015 Macleod Trail S.W., Calgary, AB  T2H 2K6, Telephone: (403)290-0110, www.alzheimercalgary.com.

In living memory of June Dunbar, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, Ab t2x 3j3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.

Click Here to View June Dunbar's Memorial Card

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