June Koon

On Monday, June 17, 2024 June Hardy Koon passed away peacefully at The Lindley Inn. She just celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by family and friends.

June was born on April 16, 1924 in The Plains, Ohio. June lived in The Plains her whole life, with the exception of living in Detroit pre WWII with her husband Jim.

June is survived by her devoted children, Linda (Maury Kittle) Collins, Michael (Jean) Koon and Liz (Dave) Hoisington. She was preceded in death by her cherished daughter, Diana Koon . June was a loving grandmother to her surviving grandchildren, Bob Collins, Susan (John) Biskner, Megan (Darrel) Willey, Brandi (Elizabeth) Allen, Scott (Sherry) Harvey and Tyler Hoisington. She was a great grandmother to Bailey, Bryn, Chloe, Tessa, Jackie, Michelle, Alex, Mackenzie, Hunter, Nathan, Desmond,

Joe and Madeleine. She was a great, great grandmother to Kadyn, Delaney, Juliette and Deacon. June is survived by her step children, Anne Trout (Eddie Woodyard) , MIchael Bean, Joy Bean and Beth (Mark) Shrivers and step grandchildren, Andrew Aaron, Levi and Zachary.

June is also survived by her sister and best friend Mary Lee Michael. June traveled to every state (even walking on an iceberg in Alaska in her 80s). She has been to many countries - France, England, Luxembourg, Greece, Italy, Tahiti and Bora Bora to name a few. On one very memorable day, June and her daughter Linda fulfilled their lifelong dream of traveling to Luxembourg to see Jim’s (Linda’s father) military grave. 

June was preceded in death by her parents, Luke and Lela Hardy, her sister and brother in law chuck and Betty Oliver and her in laws Tip and Clara Koon. Also proceeding June’s death were her husbands, Jim Staley, who was killed in action in WW11. After the war June married Tip Koon. They were married 48 years. Later in life june found love again with Rich Bean. They were married 19 years.

June proudly graduated Athens High School (after leaving her senior year to marry) with her son in 1971. 

June gave back to her community in many ways. She volunteered as a tour guide to superintendents from all over the country to show them the innovative, new Athens High School. She was a member of the garden club, occasionally modeled for local department stores and volunteered with the PTA for 36 consecutive years. June was a very active, faithful member of The Plains United Methodist Church her whole life. She loved her church!

June instilled her love of faith, education and traveling in her family. She taught them to try to always give grace to others. She taught many the power of prayer.

June’s family would like to extend a very special thank you to The Lindley Inn for the remarkable love and care they showed her. She loved it there and truly loved each person who took care of her.

We’d like to give another thanks to her niece, Debby Nisely, who took June’s “little sister,” Mary Lee to visit her weekly. 

June will be missed by so many, in so many ways, for so many things. She was a strong, independent, caring, loving, and funny woman. A service of celebration will be held at Hughes Funeral Home on Saturday, June 29th with Dave Roach officiating. Visiting hour will begin at 10:00 am, followed by a service at 11:00 am. There will be no graveside service. Immediately following the service there will be a luncheon and a time for fellowship in the upstairs at Eclipse Company Store in The Plains.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Wildflower Legacy which helps Athens areas youth to participate in extracurricular activities  or The Plains Unioted Methodist Church or Athens Area Hospice.

Friends are invited to sign the online guestbook at ehwfh.com.