June Moncur Waite
1930 – 2021
June Moncur Waite, 91, passed away on October 12, 2021 at home in Orem, Utah. June was born on June 30, 1930 in Brownsville, Texas to LaPriel Cutler Moncur and Alphonso Moncur, the 5th of 10 children. When her family moved to Lovell, Wyoming, June learned to play the piano and dance with her sisters.
Before her 8th grade, the Moncurs bought a second house in Salt Lake City and spent summers back in Wyoming. June attended East High and then the University of Utah where she discovered her love of theater. From the time she was a junior in high school to the time she graduated from college, she acted in plays, and she always had a lead part.
After graduating from the University of Utah, June moved to New York to pursue an acting career. In New York her big break came as she won the open audition for the Barter Theater with Rosalind Russell as the judge.
She starred in every production at the historic Barter Theater that summer and returned to New York with glowing letters and reviews from the theater owner/producer. After meeting with agents, June looked around her and saw very few happy people and even fewer happy marriages. A lifetime of self-promotion now seemed less appealing, so she packed up and went home.
The next stop was USC where she began a Master’s degree in theater. At the USC Institute of Religion, she met the dashing Merwin Waite, a California native who played the violin and was back from serving in the navy and on a French mission. June accompanied Merwin on the piano, and later they accompanied each other to the Salt Lake Temple where they were married in 1955.
While Merwin taught math at Gardena High School near Los Angeles, June and Merwin raised their growing family of Delys, Wendy, Brent, Clint, and Steven. Steven had hydrocephalus and severe mental disabilities, and June tenderly cared for this beloved son. He passed away at age 4.
The family moved to Hacienda Heights, California when Merwin taught at East Los Angeles College. June served in church, drove her children to many activities, and directed plays for the youth. She became a tax preparer while her husband served as Bishop.
In 1997, Merwin and June served a French-speaking mission to La Reunion and Madagascar. In 1998, Merwin and June were called to serve as the president and companion of the Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo Mission. French was everyone’s second language. June helped the women get eyeglasses so they could read better and taught Primary songs for the first time to the Congolese Primary children.
In 2004, they moved to Orem, Utah to be near children and grandchildren who were attending college. Many grandchildren have spent late nights with their grandparents eating ice cream. June contracted lung cancer, but beat it, even though the chemo treatments weakened her for life.
Merwin’s passing in December of 2014 brought a lonelier life for June, but her neighbors, children, and grandchildren cherished her and surrounded her with love, giving back to this loving, elegant, and regal woman.
June is survived by one brother, Kent Moncur; four children: Delys (Phil) Snyder (Salem, UT); Wendy (Bob) Jensen (Mesa, AZ); Brent (Cheryl) Waite (Sandy, UT); and Clint (Shelly) Waite (Parker, CO); 19 grandchildren; as well as, soon, 37 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her husband, Merwin, her parents and 8 siblings, and her son Steven.
Her viewing will be at Sundberg-Olpin Mortuary in Orem, UT from 7-9 on October 22. The funeral will be held at the Lakeview 7th Ward, 151 W 1600 S, Orem, UT, on October 23 with a viewing from 9:30-10:30 and the funeral at 11:00. The burial will be in the Orem City Cemetery.
For further information on funeral service links and condolences please visit our website at SundbergOlpinMortuary.com.