June Holton Owens Keel | Eastern North Carolina Now

Born: February 28, 1920, Died: September 6, 2014

    June Holton Owens Keel, 94, passed peacefully at her residence in Greenville, surrounded by loving family on September 6, 2014.

    Memorial services will be held at the Wilkerson Chapel, 2100 East 5th Street, Greenville, NC, at Eleven AM on Tuesday, September 9, 2014, followed by a celebration of Mama June's life. Interment will be a 4 pm in Oakdale Cemetery.

    June was born on February 28, 1920, in McAllen, TX, the first child of Alonza Wallace Holton and Christobel Holton.

    "Mama-June" was the loving and beloved matriarch of a large and multi-faceted "family," which extended far beyond her own offspring. She lived a life filled with much love, laughter, hard and productive work, and a deep and abiding commitment to her family, as well as the well being of her many friends and admirers, and their families. In later life, she was an inspired and inspiring leader of the Pitt County Memorial Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary. And, throughout her life, she was a loving, wise and tenacious Mother – in the truest sense of that calling. "Mama-June" will live on forever in the lives of all who were privileged to know and love her.

    She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands, Thomas Preston Owens, of Washington NC, and James Keel, of Greenville, NC; her brother Michael Holton, of New Bern, NC, and her half-brother, Roy Holton.

    She is survived by her son, Thomas Preston Owens, Jr. (wife, Tennys) of Anchorage, AK, and her daughters, Denise Owens Goolsby, of Greenville, NC, and Judy Owens Groet of Ayden, NC, her half-brothers Alexander Holton (wife, Celila) of New Bern NC, and Alonza Wallace "Buzzy" Holton, Jr. (wife, JoAnn) of New Bern, NC; grandchildren Thomas Preston Owens, III (wife, Penny) and Christopher Tayloe Owens, of Anchorage, AK, and Teri G. Smithwick (husband, Chuck), of Greenville, NC; Emily Groet Meister (husband, Jay) of Rocky Point, NC, and Cheri Groet Clark (husband, Mark) of Crawford, MS; and step children James Tilmon Keel, Jr. (wife, Linda), of Edenton, NC, Libby Keel Hancock (husband, Merv), of Greenville, NC, and Rufus V. Keel (wife, Dee), of Chocowinity, NC; step-grandchildren, Donna K. Greenlee, (husband, Richard), of Nags Head NC, Kathy K. Rascoe, of Edenton, NC, Jim Swinson, (wife, Vickie), of Chocowinity, NC, Michael Swinson, of Indianapolis, IN, Charles Swinson, (wife, Kathy), of Ayden, NC, and Jack C. Keel of Raleigh, NC; and twelve great grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews

    The family thanks, with loving appreciation, Shanerika Calhoun, Latoya Williamson, Evelyn Howard, and Kelly Stout, RN of Bayada Home Health Care, for their loving care for Mama June.

    Memorials may be made to Vidant Home Health & Hospice, 1005 W.H. Smith Blvd., Greenville, NC 27835.