June Eckstein Obituary

June Eckstein, 97, passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 9, in
Leesburg, Virginia, surrounded by her loving family.
She is survived by her five children: Gary (Sethe) Eckstein, Cathy Johnson,
Randy Eckstein, Rick (Tami) Eckstein, and Cindy (Allen) Edmondson;
thirteen grandchildren; twenty-three great-grandchildren; one
great-great-grandchild; and a niece and nephews. June was preceded
in death by her loving husband of seventy-three years, Irving Eckstein; a
baby, Ricky Eckstein; her sister, Barbara Yates; and her brother, Robert
Milliken.
On June 14, 1928, June was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Beatrice Adelia
Milliken and Vincent Dewey Milliken. June lost her mother at a young age
and always spoke of her in the highest regard. Her eyes lit up anytime she
spoke of her "mama." Although she only had nine years with her beloved
mama, she held tight to her special memories and spoke about her every
chance she could.
Although June was the middle child, she took on the role of selfless
caretaker for both her sister and brother after their mother passed away.
Her family moved often due to her father's job, carrying their memories
like packed suitcases from town to town. They lived in Michigan and
Pennsylvania, eventually settling in Arlington, Virginia, where June's roots
finally began to take hold. June and her sister were active members of a
sorority in high school and enjoyed going dancing and socializing. She
graduated from Washington and Lee High School in 1946.
In 1947, June met charming Irving at Joyland, a club in Colonial Beach,
doing what they both loved best, dancing. A year and a half later, they
were married on January 8, 1949, in Alexandria, Virginia. By the end of
that year, June had embraced her greatest joy as she became a mother.
Being a mother was the joy of June's life. She loved rocking her babies,
caring for her children, and making their house a home. She always gave
them special care when they were sick and always made each child feel
loved and special.
June loved family time and could often be found cheering on one of her
children at the baseball field or camping with her family. She loved taking
long winter walks with her family on snow days. She always put the needs
of her children before her own, whether it was sitting in the car with a child
who was afraid of fireworks instead of watching, or buying an outfit for the
children instead of for herself. June continued to be a dedicated mother
as her children grew, supporting and loving each of her children's
growing families. Nothing made June prouder than her children and
grandchildren. She was known for her long, heartfelt conversations with
her children and grandchildren and for being a steady source of love,
support, and understanding.
At the end of Irving's career with the phone company and into
retirement, June and Irving built and lived in their dream home in Airmont,
Virginia, for over 30 years. June was an active member of Potomac Baptist
Church in Sterling, Virginia, where she made many lifelong friends. Later,
she joined Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Virginia, where she
continued her strong faith and cherished fellowship.
June loved living in Airmont, in the country. She enjoyed gardening and
caring for her flowers, slow afternoons sitting outside holding hands with
Irving, petting and caring for their various cats and dogs, helping with
household chores such as mowing the grass on the tractor, and hosting
family for holidays and weekends by the pool. June was happiest when
surrounded by family and made everyone feel at home.
June was a wonderful cook, although she often called her food "slop."
Her family knew better. She was an amazing grandmother, affectionately
called Granny or Grandma. She often had her grandchildren over for
sleepovers, making all their favorite foods and loading them up on sweets.
She would play school, watch movies, watch them swim for hours and
even play board games, although they were not her favorite. June loved
visits with her great-grandchildren. She loved giving them long hugs and
making silly noises, and they never left without pockets full of mints and
candy.
June loved magazine subscriptions, "summer tea," a cold bedroom,
Sundays at church, her faith, crispy bacon, chatting with loved ones in
person or on the phone, and telling stories of her childhood. From her
stories of Penny Thieves Incorporated to how she would let her sister wear
her new clothes before her when they were girls, she captivated
everyone with her stories of when she was young. She loved foot rubs from
her adoring husband, visits with her best friend and sister, shopping,
laughing, children, helping others, her family and above all else, Irving,
whom she adoringly called Ecky.
For seventy-three years, June and Irving walked hand in hand through
life's challenges and triumphs, showing all who knew them what a truly
devoted partnership looks like. That first dance in 1947 became a lifelong
jitterbug, their steps perfectly in tune through every season of life. Their
enduring love built a strong foundation for their family, a love whose
warmth will continue to be felt for generations to come.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date following the burial at
Arlington National Cemetery. Further details will be shared by the family in
the coming weeks.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of June, please visit our floral store.