June L. Schliebe
A bright light has gone out. June Schliebe, beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend to many passed away on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Born on June 11, 1922, she lived her 103 years dedicating her life to family, friends and community. June will be remembered for her kindness, wisdom and generosity to all. Her greatest achievement and joy were raising her two sons, Scott and Mike, and then thoroughly enjoying her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
She grew up in the Bath area, traveling to school in the winter during the early years by horse and sled. June lived a long and eventful life filled with friends, great memories, family and joy, and numerous community accomplishments. She graduated from Northern State Teachers College in May 1942 and taught elementary school at Rosyln for two years. She and a friend were recruited at the train depot in Aberdeen to work in clerical fields for the US Naval Department in Washington, D.C. during World War II from 1944-1946. In 1947, she was a flight attendant for Republic Airlines, Minneapolis. She was employed by the IRS in Aberdeen during 1948-1949. June worked for the U.S. Indian Health Service and retired in 1981.
June met Kurt Schliebe upon his return from Naval Service during WWII. They were married on November 26, 1949, and had two sons, Scott and Mike. They were sole mates for 36 years of married life. They ranched west of Aberdeen where their sons attended the one room school house at Brookside. Later they built another house in the Wylie Park area and lived there for 41 years.
June insisted on annual summer vacations, mainly to the Minnesota Lakes and Resort area, but also to the World’s Fair in Seattle in 1962, to Yellowstone, and other destinations. These trips left lasting memories for the family to share. After retirement, June and Kurt traveled to Europe and visited several countries including visiting Kurt’s relatives in Germany. Her love of adventurous family travel continued with numerous trips with family and grandchildren, many to Hawaii, alternating Christmas between Anchorage and Richland, and traveling to Anchorage for April birthdays (3).
June enjoyed gardening, her bridge club, playing other card games, crafts including her Norwegian heritage hardanger, needle point, community club, the Elkettes, Church activities, etc. The family gatherings with the Schliebe and Ellis clan were filled with joy, fellowship and great times.
Upon the untimely passing of Kurt in 1985, June assumed Kurt’s residual duties with the Brown County Commission. She went on to be reelected twice and served from 1985 to 1995. During a portion of this time, she served as the Chairman. In March 2023, June was honored by the Brown County Fair Board and inducted into the Board’s Hall of Fame. Throughout her life June remained passionate regarding the welfare of our local, county, state and National governance and continued to have many positive and progressive value-added opinions regarding the fate of our countries’ politics.
June was fortunate to have Atlas (At) Wendt as her long-term late life companion, a blessing for both. Both families embraced and supported the new companions. Atlas passed away in 2016, yet the bond with the Wendt family continues and remains strong today.
A tradition that ensued and continues today is the legendary annual pheasant season opener where good friends, family and relatives gather to share a common bond. No matter what the weather or how the pheasant population was doing, everyone looked forward to rekindling and nurturing these relationships and experiences and passing them on to the next generation.
June was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Mae Ellis and brother Daryel Ellis. She is survived by her sons, Scott (Nadine), Anchorage, Alaska, Mike, Richland, Washington, four grandchildren, Renee (Greg) Doctolaro, Portland, Oregon, Kurtis (Laura) Schliebe, Richland Washington, Katie (Keith) Ziolkowski, Anchorage, Alaska, Sam Schliebe, Anchorage, Alaska and three great grandchildren, Tatum, Sloane and Zane Ziolkowski.