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2016/07/13 - Emmet, AEB

(February 22, 1924 - July 13, 2016)

June Louise Prosser Eiguren (aged 92) passed away peacefully, July 13, 2016, surrounded by her family.

June was born February 22, 1924 to Elwyn Amos "Pete" and Alice Prosser in LaGrande, Oregon. She married John Blas "Johnny" Eiguren on November 8, 1946 in Emmett, Idaho.

Shortly after her birth her family moved to Middleton, then to Barber, and in 1932 settled in Emmett. She attended Emmett High School, played violin in the school orchestra and graduated in 1942. Following graduation she attended Boise Secretarial Center and began working as a bookkeeper at F H Hogue. Later, after marrying John, the couple owned and operated Johnny's Electric and Appliance for 20 years in Emmett. 

June was a voracious reader throughout her life. Shortly after moving to Emmett, at the age of 8, she and a friend started a little neighborhood lending library in the small woodshed beside her home. The two girls, restacked wood to create makeshift shelves, collected books, displayed them on the wood, and checked them out to the other kids. In her adult life, she was frequently trading and sharing books with her family and friends. Later, June's love of learning lead her to take real estate, photography, and astronomy classes through Boise State University - all of which she used to enrich her personal life and shape her work and her hobbies.

Her desire to learn and try new things is also reflected in the active life she led. She took up tennis, golf, and bowling all in her adult life, and even began downhill skiing in her 40s. 

One of the most remarkable things about June was that no matter what new thing she took up, she always found people who bonded with her. She was a consummate and loving friend. Over the course of her life she had many close friends - a group of people that was so important to her. With this group she played lots of golf, cards and shared a few bottles of wine. And she set out with them on many adventures: rafting the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, touring New York City, and cruising around the Caribbean. She was recently described by a friend as a "young person in an old person's body." The truth about June is she ferociously lived every minute that life offered her and she modeled this passion for her friends and family.

June survived two battles with breast cancer, living for another 40 years. Because of this experience, she volunteered for 15 years with Reach for Recovery - counseling and mentoring other women in their fights with the disease. She was a role model for so many.

She absolutely loved to dance; alone, with her husband, and she even held dance parties for her children in her living room. At age 90 she was still tearing up the dance floor at her grandchild's wedding reception.

She loved being a part of the Emmett community. While living there, she and her husband helped raised money for both the Emmett Swimming Pool and the Emmett Golf Course. They supported these projects not only with their money and time, but also their hard work, as the couple often carried buckets of water to water the grass of the golf course before the sprinklers were installed. June also helped construct many floats for the Cherry Festival Parade, Emmett Homecoming Parade, and the Fairyland Christmas Parade. She was a long time member of the Emmett Golf Association and St. Mary's Episcopal Church. Moving to Eagle in 1978, she continued these activities by joining the Eagle Golf Association and St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Boise.

Most importantly, she loved her family fiercely. Her favorite times were when all 20 of her family members were together under one roof - sharing meals, holidays, and BSU football victories. She traveled with them to Hawaii, the Basque Country, and Vancouver, British Columbia. She parasailed, she hiked, and she was always willing to babysit. She took individual pride in each of her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren - celebrating their accomplishments and always supporting them unconditionally. As she put it, "we are all so blessed to be part of this close-knit family" - and this is truly the measure of the legacy she leaves behind.

Finally, June was competitive. She loved to play cards. In her family there were running Gin games and she always knew who was ahead. She played in several Bridge groups with friends and at Eagle Hills Golf Course. In her last game of bridge, on July 6th, she was happy to report that she came away - like she had so many other times in her life - the winner.

She is survived by her three daughters, Chrystine Brassey (Andrew), Jennifer Adams (Dave), Deborah Rotchford (Herb), her son John Eiguren (Tammi), her seven grandchildren Katie Rotchford (Lynda), Tyler Adams, Michael Rotchford (Cody), Ryan Brassey (Olivia), John Brassey, Lauren Brassey (Tyler), and Joseph Adams, and her great grandchildren Eve and Mary Brassey. She was preceded in death by her husband, John Eiguren, and her parents, E.A. "Pete" and Alice Prosser. 

There will be a committal service at the Emmett Cemetery on Thursday, July 21 at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome. The committal service will be followed by a memorial service at St. Michael's Cathedral, in Boise, at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers please send memorials to St. Michael's Cathedral or the Idaho Food Bank.

(Published in Emmett Messenger Index from July 18 to Aug. 17, 2016)