Obituary of June Ratner

Home: Liberty, USA Place of Birth: Iron River, USA Website: ramsaysfuneralhome.com Obituary June Ratner June 1, 1923 - February 5, 2016 June Ratner was born June Richards on June 1, 1923 in the mining town of Iron River, Michigan, the daughter of the late Thomas and Lillian Richards. She graduated from high school at the age of 16 and began working as a waitress. In 1943, she met her future husband, Louis Ratner, who was in war time service. Lou and June moved to Sullivan County and began to raise a family. In 1953, 4 children later, Lou, a Police Sergeant in Liberty was elected Sheriff of Sullivan County. The family moved to Monticello, where June assumed the duties of matron and head cook at the jail. A fifth child was born in 1956. Sadly, in 1958, Lou and June separated and eventually divorced. June returned to the family home in Ferndale where she raised their five children. When the children were old enough, she enrolled in Orange County Community College. June, at the age of 50, graduated with honors as a registered nurse. June began her nursing career at Maimonides Hospital in Liberty, NY and advanced to becoming a charge nurse in the intensive care unit at what is now Catskill Regional Medical Center. When June retired from nursing, she re-engaged her love of gardening and her deep interest in the great philosophers. June was a brilliant, independent woman with little patience for the trivial. At the age of 80, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and her prognosis after several months of radiation and chemo, was such that hospice was advised. June declined hospice and through shear will and good fate not only survived but thrived for 12 more years. June's last days were spent being cared for lovingly by the wonderful staff at the SNU unit at Catskill Regional Medical Center. A special thanks to her surgeon and guardian angel, Dr. Abdul Shahzad. We will be forever grateful. June is survived by sons, Milton (Beatrice) of Liberty, Robert (Denise) of Swan Lake and Daniel (Carlene) of Liberty; grandchildren, James, Joseph (Christie), Jason (Rochel), Robert McLoughlin (Debbie), Jennifer Hoyt (Robert), Tania Milza (Michael), Robert, Melissa, Lindsay Gandulla (Joel), Jaime Marhevsky (Capt. John), Daniel (Jennifer), Pamela Driscoll (Frank), William Hulse and Timothy Hulse (Amber); 22 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren and 3 sisters, Patricia, Marion and Clovis. Also left to miss June is her canine love, Fritz. She will have Gurty and Max, two past pets, to keep her company. June was predeceased by a daughter, Karen; son, Michael and his wife Eileen; granddaughter, Diahann (Watson) and her husband Robert and several brothers and sisters. Private services and burial will be held for the family on Monday February 15, 2016 in Liberty, NY. Funeral arrangements are by Ramsay's Funeral Homes Inc. Liberty, NY.