✦ ✦ ✦
June Smalley, 95, passed away peacefully August 24,2023. She is survived by her son, Dan and his wife Carla; daughter, Ann; grandsons, Gus Smalley, Will and Brittany Smalley, Drew and Caroline Smalley, Jeff and Casey Lohmann and Joe Lohmann; great-grandchildren, Owen, Dean Carlyle, Dean Fisher, Charlotte and Lily Smalley, and Charlotte and Jack Lohmann; and siblings, W Martin Ross, Gayle and Jim Dixon and Marsha and Dan Mishler.
June was born May 10, 1928 in Sabetha, Kansas, one of seven children born to William Martin Ross and Sarah L’Nora Ross. Growing up in a Kansas farming family during the Great Depression taught her the importance of hard work, frugality and determination and she stressed these values to her children and grandchildren throughout her life.
After graduation from Sabetha High School, she enrolled at the University of Kansas where she met her future husband, Dean Smalley. June and Dean were married on January 10, 1948, the beginning of a 54-year marriage until Dean’s death in 2002.
She married her second husband, Ed Williamson, in 2005 and they were married for 15 years until Ed’s death in 2020.
June loved music and was an accomplished piano player. She was self-taught, played by ear and did not read music: if you could sing or hum a song, she could play it. She hosted countless music parties in her home over the years and started playing a weekly gig at The Keyboard Lounge, an Atlanta jazz bar. June cut a record album, “The June Smalley Quintet Swings America” in 1980 backed by her favorite Keyboard Lounge musicians.
She was active until the end and hosted a monthly jam session with her Kerrville musician friends; she loved making music with them.
June will be buried with her husband Dean on Friday October 27th in the military cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, attended by her family. A Celebration of Life event will be held at her Kerrville home that evening at 6pm, attended by friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to: THMF- The Music Connection, PO BOX 2435, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or online at www.texasheritagemusic.org.
The Music Connection provides music therapy to thousands of individuals living in long-term residential care facilities.
The Smalley family wishes to extend special thanks to Dr. James Young and the caring staff at Peterson Hospice, the amazing staff at Peterson Hospital, June’s kind and fun Summit neighbors, her talented musician friends who kept her playing and, especially, Anne Bertasz who provided loving care and made June LAUGH.
June was born May 10, 1928 in Sabetha, Kansas, one of seven children born to William Martin Ross and Sarah L’Nora Ross. Growing up in a Kansas farming family during the Great Depression taught her the importance of hard work, frugality and determination and she stressed these values to her children and grandchildren throughout her life.
After graduation from Sabetha High School, she enrolled at the University of Kansas where she met her future husband, Dean Smalley. June and Dean were married on January 10, 1948, the beginning of a 54-year marriage until Dean’s death in 2002.
She married her second husband, Ed Williamson, in 2005 and they were married for 15 years until Ed’s death in 2020.
June loved music and was an accomplished piano player. She was self-taught, played by ear and did not read music: if you could sing or hum a song, she could play it. She hosted countless music parties in her home over the years and started playing a weekly gig at The Keyboard Lounge, an Atlanta jazz bar. June cut a record album, “The June Smalley Quintet Swings America” in 1980 backed by her favorite Keyboard Lounge musicians.
She was active until the end and hosted a monthly jam session with her Kerrville musician friends; she loved making music with them.
June will be buried with her husband Dean on Friday October 27th in the military cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, attended by her family. A Celebration of Life event will be held at her Kerrville home that evening at 6pm, attended by friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in her name to: THMF- The Music Connection, PO BOX 2435, Fredericksburg, TX 78624 or online at www.texasheritagemusic.org.
The Music Connection provides music therapy to thousands of individuals living in long-term residential care facilities.
The Smalley family wishes to extend special thanks to Dr. James Young and the caring staff at Peterson Hospice, the amazing staff at Peterson Hospital, June’s kind and fun Summit neighbors, her talented musician friends who kept her playing and, especially, Anne Bertasz who provided loving care and made June LAUGH.