Obituary: June Elizabeth Magnuson, 1917–2012

June Elizabeth Magnuson, 1917–2012

June Elizabeth Magnuson, 95, former Seattle Times reporter, died August 22.

June Elizabeth von der Hellen was born June 4, 1917 in Eagle Point, Oregon. In 1938, she graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in journalism. She worked for the Seattle Times during World War II (“with my own photographer!”).

There she met and married Don Magnuson, a reporter and widower with two young children, Craig and Terry. In 1952,  Don was elected to the House of Representatives and served Washington State for 10 years. Twice a year the 3,000 mile cross-country trips were made in the crammed 1952 station wagon. They were divorced in 1960.

June moved to Orcas Island, in the San Juan Islands, drawn by the memory of a college break when she had called every travel agent in Seattle and could find only one vacancy – on Orcas! She found an 1890s farmhouse and moved in with her three youngest children, Joel, Mary and Erik. She burned down the sagging barn, painted the living room chartreuse, planted a vegetable garden, got chickens and a horse, and plunged into community affairs. June reveled in the beaches, woods and rolling fields of Orcas.

June got her teaching certificate and taught Spanish at Orcas H. S. She then worked at the post office in Eastsound before becoming Postmaster in Deer Harbor. After retiring in 1981, she built a house above Crescent Beach east of the main city of Eastsound, where her visitors could dig clams.

June traveled world-wide: toured Great Britain; walked rainy pathways in Monet’s Garden; thrilled to the steel drum bands of Trinidad at Mardi Gras and the temples of Machu Picchu; floated down the Yangtze River; and explored the Philippines. Returning from a wondrous but arduous trip to India with friends from her gradeschool days, she advised, “Don’t wait until you’re 70 to see India!”

Both artist and collector, June filled her home with paintings and sculptures. An oil painting of Montmartre was still wet when she bought it on the streets of Paris. Her dedication to art was exemplified by her decision to sell part of her property as a location for Orcas Center.

She is survived by Terry and Bob Cairns, in Texas; Mary Macapia of Vashon Island; Joel and Jan Magnuson of Renton; Erik Magnuson of Seattle; ten grandchildren; and twenty-four great-grandchildren.

Memorials may be made in June’s memory to Emmanuel Episcopal Church, where she was a member for 50 years. A reception will be held at 912 North Beach Road at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, September 6.