June Rose (Schweizer) Moorman
“Through the stillness of the midnight comes a sound of peace and love.
God’s assuring message from His Kingdom high above.
I feel my heart grow free and light losing every fear.
As the message meant for every soul is bringing Him so near.
For what could be more peaceful than the tolling of a bell.
When it comes from His own Palace where His loving people dwell.”
— (From June’s ‘Collection of Poems’ written during her Richmond High School days.)
On the evening of December 4th, 2020, June passed unto eternity with her husband, children, and other extended family at her bedside. She was very much at peace while being gently welcomed home into the heavenly embrace of Jesus Christ.
June Rose was born in the town of Boston, Indiana, on July 4th, 1932. She was preceded in death by all of her siblings, including dear little ones who died at a very tender age: Anna Mae (aged 3 years, 6 months), Earl Roy (aged 6 months, 3 days), and Allen Lee (aged 1 year, 19 days); and then her other brothers and sisters, Kenrick Schweizer, Francis Butt Sanderson, Edgar Schweizer, Traster Schweizer, Marion ‘Bud’ Schweizer, Harry Schweizer, Opal Wright, and Henrietta ‘Hoppie’ Horn.
June always recognized how blessed she was to be born into this amazing Schweizer Family, beginning with her parents. Her mother, Miltrida, died when she was just one year old, and her father, Albert, died when she was just ten years old. However, her older siblings and ‘Uncle’ Harry Horn (married to her sister, Henrietta), determined to keep the family together, which forged a legacy of undying love and commitment for the generations to come. Throughout her life, June—along with her brothers and sisters—would tell story after story of this wondrous heritage of what it means to be family.
During her growing-up years, June relished her day-to-day encounters: from life on the farm … to competing in ‘all things’ sports and adventures with siblings, friends, and cousins … to camping at Camp Carson … to participating in Y-Teen activities … to writing poetry and stories, etc. While attending Richmond High School, she became known as ‘Johnny’ because of her feisty enthusiasm for sports; and, later, her brother-in-law, Duane, affectionately named her ‘June Bug’, which seemed to aptly reflect her outdoorsy spirit.
On December 27th, 1953, June Rose married William ‘Bill’ Joel Moorman, sharing life together for nearly 67 years. They were blessed with three children, whom she cherished, identical twin boys Keiffer Craig and William Cary, and a daughter Anita Rose. Throughout her adult years, she enjoyed her vocation in the medical field, working as a nurse with Dr. Tom Ebbinghouse, a lab technician at Searle Pharmaceutical, the office assistant of her husband’s podiatry practice, and the chief technician of the EEG (Electroencephalogram) Department at Reid Memorial Hospital.
June was especially active as a volunteer in the Richmond community, specifically being one of the founders of Girls’ Club in the late 1960’s, serving as a RHS Band mom heading up the ‘Rent-a-Kid’ effort to secure monies for the Band’s trip to Pasadena Rose Parade in 1974, and participated in leadership with the local Sertoma Club. She was also involved with her beloved communities of faith, Trinity Lutheran Church and First English Lutheran Church, and playing volleyball competitively into her 60’s. She had a great appreciation for music, continually expressed an authentic welcome to all people from all backgrounds, and truly delighted ‘opening up’ her home … especially to her children’s friends.
Upon her husband’s retirement, Bill and June enjoyed many years of traveling, camping, and visiting their children and grandchildren. In more recent years, they settled into Friends Fellowship Community, and she then spent her last few months in their daughter’s home.
June is survived by her husband, William Joel Moorman; children Keiffer Craig Moorman (wife Nancy), William Cary Moorman (wife Sandy), and Anita Hittinger (husband Todd); grandchildren Christopher, Timothy, Katherine, Margot, Sarah, Jonathan, Luke, Rebecca, Jacob, and Caleb; great grandchildren Mya, Will, Huckleberry, Grayson, Noah, Huxley, and those not yet born; brother-in-law Keiffer Duane Moorman (wife Jeanne), sister-in-law Kathy Walker (husband Mike), and sister-in-law Mabel Schweizer; dozens of nieces and nephews; and many wonderful friends. June will be remembered by all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren as “Mammy”, their loving grandmother who encouraged them in all things great and small, and loved them unconditionally.
Because of her great appreciation for the medical world and love for humanity, June decided to donate her body to Indiana University School of Medicine. There will be a celebrative memorial and reception at a later date (tba), when family and friends will remember June’s rich legacy of faith and family rooted deeply in Jesus Christ. In lieu of flowers, expressions of love may be given to Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County, www.bgcrichmond.org (June and other dear friends founded and organized the original Girls Club of Richmond, IN, in the late 1960’s. June would heartfully support this organization.); or, Shriners Hospitals for Children, https://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/shc/donate.