Phyllis "June" Age - 73 Warren

Phyllis “June” Warren, 73, passed away Tuesday, December 13th after a long and brave battle with cancer. June was born Phyllis June Bloss in Cumberland, Maryland. She grew up poor but had a very rich and fulfilling life. The youngest of seven children, she did well in school, was an avid reader, and, with the encouragement of her older brother, Earl, was able to gain entry to the University of Maryland where she studied art history. At the University of Maryland, June met her future husband, John, a physics graduate student. The two were married in 1958, and have been devotedly together ever since. After John earned his PhD, the young couple moved to DePauw University in Indiana where John taught physics, and June studied art. She was so proud to have worked closely under the famous sculptor, Richard Peeler. The move to Los Alamos started with a summer job for John, then full-time job just before the arrival of their first daughter, Mindy. Two years later they had daughter Rita. During this time, June was active in the AAUW and garden club and become one of the most avid supporters of the Santa Fe Opera as a member of the Los Alamos Opera Guild. A natural-born entrepreneur, in 1965, June jumped at the opportunity to take over from retiring pre-kindergarten teacher Nina Miller. June and her best friend, Joanne Barnes, started with the school at the Episcopal church and eventually transformed it to “Sage School” – the first Montessori school in Los Alamos. With June’s creativity and energy, she turned Sage Prekindergarten into a place that hundreds of parents and children of Los Alamos remember as a great start to early learning in their lives. June continued during the 1960’s and 1970’s to make a mark on Los Alamos community as owner of fondly remembered shops in the “Village” in White Rock – the “Hobby Bench” and the “Hitching Post.” She was also the “party planner extraordinaire” for the Los Alamos Opera Guild, using her flair for flower arranging and decorating to deliver spectacular and memorable events. Devoted mother, June supported daughter Mindy in a successful career as Arabian horse -- and now miniature horse trainer and show champion. She was very proud of her daughter, Rita in her academic, running, and business success. In her later years, June served as President of the Los Alamos Opera guild, a member of the Santa Fe Opera Guild, and loved to put on her finest gown and join friends at opera events. She spent her time writing New-Mexico-themed romance novels, some of which, her family hopes to publish posthumously. Diagnosed in 1998 with a very rare form of cancer “Pheochromocytoma”, June endured numerous surgeries and treatments, always with a smile on her face and a devotion to art – her life-long passion. She toughed out the cancer with good humor and kept on fighting well beyond anyone’s expectations, staying active with friends until her last days. Thank you, June, from all of us, for bringing your light, your love, and your special creativity to the world! June is survived by her husband, John; daughters: Mindy and Rita; granddaughter, Kaitlyn, and her brand new great grandson Caiden. An informal “Celebration of June’s Life” will be held at their home in White Rock at 714 Meadow Lane, on Sunday, December 18th, from 2-5pm. All who knew June, and friends of the Warren family, are encouraged to stop by, have a cup of cheer, add a couple of blooms to her memorial flower arrangement, and light a candle in memory of her wonderful spirit. For questions or to RSVP call ph. 505-672-3539, or Rita Warren at cell ph.206-290-6896. The family of Phyllis “June” Warren has entrusted the care of their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-747-7477 or www.devargasfuneral.com

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