June T. Skole, 87, passed away peacefully August 30, 2010, at Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Salem, VA after a brief illness.
She was born Amy June Tishendorf on June 2, 1923 in Anoka, Nebraska to Elmer J. and Clara Bengtson Tishendorf. She grew up in Niobrara, Nebraska and moved to Washington, DC at the age of 19. She attended Strayer Business School and upon graduation embarked upon a career as a secretary par excellence. Working in the Pentagon while it was under construction, her employers included the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She later moved to Capitol Hill to work for former U.S. Senator Hugh Butler, and the former U.S. Congressmen Ralph Beerman and Dave Martin. She ended her professional career at age 67, spending the last 15 years with the Washington law firm of Steptoe and Johnson.
In 1951, she married E. Guenter Skole of Berlin, Germany. Together they raised three children and lived in DC, Winchester, VA and McLean, VA. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996. In 2007 she moved to Roanoke, VA .
June was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, McLean,VA. Volunteering for everything from President of Church Council to sewing quilts and providing meals for the homeless, her involvement with her church took her from helping organize a co-op for sharecroppers in Halifax, VA to touring the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mrs. Skole is survived by 2 daughters, Karen Skole of Morro Bay, CA, and Deborah Rakestraw of Fredericksburg, VA; a son, Rev. K. David Skole of Roanoke, VA; their spouses, James Rakestraw, and Diane Skole; 13 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Mavis Heidemann of Fremont, NE, Gwenn Holmlund of McLean, VA, and Mary Burdick of Lenexa, KS; 2 brothers, Robert Tishendorf of Sidney, NE and David Tishendorf of Tieton, WA; 7 nieces and 14 nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:00 pm, at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA with the Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop officiating. In June’s memory, contributions can be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 2011 Brandon Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015
She was born Amy June Tishendorf on June 2, 1923 in Anoka, Nebraska to Elmer J. and Clara Bengtson Tishendorf. She grew up in Niobrara, Nebraska and moved to Washington, DC at the age of 19. She attended Strayer Business School and upon graduation embarked upon a career as a secretary par excellence. Working in the Pentagon while it was under construction, her employers included the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She later moved to Capitol Hill to work for former U.S. Senator Hugh Butler, and the former U.S. Congressmen Ralph Beerman and Dave Martin. She ended her professional career at age 67, spending the last 15 years with the Washington law firm of Steptoe and Johnson.
In 1951, she married E. Guenter Skole of Berlin, Germany. Together they raised three children and lived in DC, Winchester, VA and McLean, VA. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996. In 2007 she moved to Roanoke, VA .
June was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, McLean,VA. Volunteering for everything from President of Church Council to sewing quilts and providing meals for the homeless, her involvement with her church took her from helping organize a co-op for sharecroppers in Halifax, VA to touring the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mrs. Skole is survived by 2 daughters, Karen Skole of Morro Bay, CA, and Deborah Rakestraw of Fredericksburg, VA; a son, Rev. K. David Skole of Roanoke, VA; their spouses, James Rakestraw, and Diane Skole; 13 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Mavis Heidemann of Fremont, NE, Gwenn Holmlund of McLean, VA, and Mary Burdick of Lenexa, KS; 2 brothers, Robert Tishendorf of Sidney, NE and David Tishendorf of Tieton, WA; 7 nieces and 14 nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:00 pm, at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA with the Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop officiating. In June’s memory, contributions can be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 2011 Brandon Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015
Omi was so excited for our visit just 3 months ago. She was excited to see Inken, Randall and me, but I think she was most excited to meet ‘The Twins’ (as she always referred to them) – her first two great-grandchildren. And when we arrived she did not disappoint. She met us outside with her radiant smile and warm hugs. She was dressed stylishly, her makeup was perfectly done, her apartment was beautiful and spotless as always, the table was set for our meal the next evening – in pink and green to match the girls’ nursery colors, and there was a rocking chair set up in the corner of her living room. When Omi found out that we would be coming for a visit she was determined to find a rocking chair so that “we would be able to rock the girls to sleep at night.” Though I told her that wouldn’t be necessary she went as far as to call the finest furniture store in Roanoke to see whether they had a rocking chair that she could purchase that could be delivered in time for our visit (thankfully David was able to track down a rocking chair that he could bring over and she didn’t spend $900 on the one from the store.J). When we arrived I realized that the reason Omi was so determined to get the rocking chair was because she wanted to be able to hold and rock her great-grandbabies. And I’m so glad that she had that opportunity and I will never forget the smile on her face when she did.
I am so glad that my daughters had the chance to meet my Omi June because she has always been such a wonderful role model for me and was such a special person in my life. I have always been amazed by Omi’s bravery to board a bus as a 19 year old girl in 1942 and head to Washington DC. She showed me by her example that anything is possible and she also always believed that her children and grandchildren could accomplish anything. I always felt great about myself after a phone call with my Omi June – she just had that way. But beyond being a great role model she was such a loving Omi. She was a woman of great integrity, strong faith, great style, and quick wit – until the very end. I am so lucky to have had her in my life for 32 years and I can only hope to have inherited some of her many wonderful traits. I am so glad that I got the chance to hug her just 3 months ago and am so happy that she got to rock my daughters – her great-granddaughters. I will certainly be sharing many wonderful stories about their “Uhr Omi” with my girls as they grow up. And through these wonderful memories Omi June will always live on in my heart.
I love you Omi June. To the sky & back, forever. Your first granddaughter, Antje
I am so glad that my daughters had the chance to meet my Omi June because she has always been such a wonderful role model for me and was such a special person in my life. I have always been amazed by Omi’s bravery to board a bus as a 19 year old girl in 1942 and head to Washington DC. She showed me by her example that anything is possible and she also always believed that her children and grandchildren could accomplish anything. I always felt great about myself after a phone call with my Omi June – she just had that way. But beyond being a great role model she was such a loving Omi. She was a woman of great integrity, strong faith, great style, and quick wit – until the very end. I am so lucky to have had her in my life for 32 years and I can only hope to have inherited some of her many wonderful traits. I am so glad that I got the chance to hug her just 3 months ago and am so happy that she got to rock my daughters – her great-granddaughters. I will certainly be sharing many wonderful stories about their “Uhr Omi” with my girls as they grow up. And through these wonderful memories Omi June will always live on in my heart.
I love you Omi June. To the sky & back, forever. Your first granddaughter, Antje
I just came across this post and SO enjoyed reading it. I only met Aunt June once in person (family reunion in Nibrara), but loved her the minute I met her.
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