June Wessendorf Lyon

June (Thompson) Wessendorf Lyon was born on October 26, 1915 in Scotts, Michigan. She was the oldest daughter of Bradley H. Thompson and Bonnie (Blair) Thompson. June graduated from Scotts High School and Parson’s Business College. As a young woman June worked as a secretary for the Selective Service Board and for Consumer’s Power Company. In 1943 she married Chester Scheele Wessendorf and moved to Buchanan, where they raised a family. After his death she married Ronald Lyon of Kalamazoo. While living in Buchanan June was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, where she directed the youth and adult choirs and served as both a Deacon and an Elder. She was a member of the Sylvia Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, participated in the local Little Theater group, directing “Little Mary Sunshine” in 1963, and served on Buchanan’s Board of Education. In her later life, she volunteered in the office of the First Presbyterian Church of Kalamazoo and the Kalamazoo Nature Center. June was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Marian, a brother Blair, by her first husband Chester Wessendorf and by her second husband Ronald Lyon. Left to celebrate a life well-lived are children from June’s first marriage, Bonnie (Pete) Myhrum of Plymouth Michigan, Beth Murphy of Buchanan, Michigan, and Martin (Molly Munnikhuysen) Wessendorf of St. Paul, Minnesota. From her second marriage are step-children Cheryl (Mark) Lyon-Jeness and Ronald Lyon, both of Kalamazoo. In addition are a brother, William Kinley of Atlanta, Georgia, a sister-in-law, Marleah Thompson of Jackson, Michigan, 6 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces and nephews. June had great faith in God, and lived her life believing that “everything happens for a reason.” She loved music and enjoyed singing at the weddings of friends, at Eastern Star programs, and in local performances of the Messiah. She had a fine-tuned sense of humor that brought a smile to many, and culinary talents that elicited smiles from her closest friends. Memorial services will be held on January 12, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at Wyndham Apartments in Heritage Community, 2300 Portage Road in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and at 3:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 115 W. Front Street, Buchanan, Michigan. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church (115 W. Front Street, Buchanan, MI 49107), Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan (222 N. Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 100, Kalamazoo, MI 49007-3882 or http://www.hospiceswmi.org/hospice/donations.php), or to a charity of one’s choice. Local arrangements have been entrusted to Swem Chapel To sign her guest book or leave a condolence message please visit our web site www.swemchapel.com