June Johnsen

June McLaughlin Johnsen of Bountiful, Utah died November 20, 2020.  She was born on July 25, 1925, in Guthrie, Oklahoma.  The oldest of two children, she was raised on the family farm in Lovell, Oklahoma, the daughter of Opal Mae Elrod and Perry Albeith McLaughlin.

After graduating from Marshal High School in 1943, June worked as a secretary for the Army Air Corps at Tinker Field in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  Because of a swivel chair, she met a good looking man from Utah sitting at the desk behind her.  June and Noel Grant Johnsen were married on September 19, 1944.

After World War II ended and Noel was released from the Army, they moved to Utah, eventually settling in Bountiful, where they raised their three children: David, Linda, and Peggy.   As a couple, they enjoyed square dancing and traveling.

June worked in the real estate department of American Oil, for Viewmont High School as a career counselor and for Utah Legal Services as the Administrative Director.  She returned to school and earned a degree in Human Relations and Communications from Westminster College in 1981. She was an investigative reporter for Utah Holiday magazine, where she specialized in stories about domestic abuse and mental illness.  June was a guardian ad litem for the courts and took a keen interest in politics.  She was an outspoken supporter of the Democratic Party in Utah.  Her later years were spent as a real estate agent.

June is survived by her three children: David Johnsen (Denise), Linda Willing (David) and Peggy Johnsen (Tom Suzda), 6 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Noel, her brother, Perry Marvin McLaughlin, and a grandson, Caleb Noel Johnsen.

Private graveside services were held on November 24, 2020 at 2 p.m. at Bountiful City Cemetery .  Per June’s request, In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Democratic Party or, even better, vote Democrat in the next general election.