June Helen (Rick) Wittenberg

June Helen Rick Wittenberg of Fort Mill, SC, formerly of Litchfield, MN went to Be with the Lord on November 26th 2020.

June was born on November 7, 1924. She was a School Teacher, Farm Wife and Homemaker. June was a member of Illumine Church Rock Hill, SC and former member of St. Pauls Lutheran Church, Litchfield, MN. She enjoyed quilting and crocheting.

She was preceded in death by: Husband Lloyd Q Rick, Husband Walt Wittenberg, Parents: Dewitt & Mae Albright, Sister: Clare Mae Ross, Brother & Sister-in-laws, Ernie and Elenore Rick, Joyce and Ron Lohse, Reginald Miller, Bob Ross, Son-in-law: Daniel Peek

Those left to cherish her memory include: Children: Dennis & Lynn Rick of Davenport, FL, JuLeen Peek of Fort Mill, SC, Laura and Ric Gibson of West St. Paul, MN, Randy & Rebekah Rick of Glenwood, MN, Larry and Jody Rick of Grove City, MN, David and Terri Rick of Litchfield MN.

22 Grandchildren: Daniel Rick, Charity Follett, Morgan Rick, Jennifer Kelly, Piper Flair, Heather Smith, Michael Peek, Amanda Fuhrmann, Leigh Redfield, Mark Gibson, Scott Gibson, Katie Tembreull, Jeremi Rick, Joe Rick, Tim Rick , Andraya Buckland, Michaela Jannan, Sadie Rick, Lilly Rick, Katie Marquedant, John Hallahan and Brian Hallahan

42 Great-Grandchildren, many Nieces and Nephews, grand Nieces and Nephews and Friends

Siblings: Virgina (Ginny) Miller, DeWayne & Iona Albright

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday December 5th 2020 at 1pm at Illumine Church 1262 Riverchase Blvd, Rock Hill, SC. Also live streamed via Facebook (Illumine Church Facebook Page)

The family will hold a memorial service and inurnment at a later date in Minnesota

Mom loved Jesus.  She loved the beauty of His creation.  She loved the fact that she never had to worry about getting to heaven one day, because she knew that Jesus is really God, and that He came to earth to take God’s punishment for our sins away from us and put it on Himself.  She knew that she never had to do anything to “earn” her way to heaven now,  and she wanted to let everyone know this truth.

June Helen Albright, Rick, Wittenberg was born November 7, 1924 to Dewitt and Mae Albright.  She was baptized in 1993 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Litchfield,MN.  She attended and completed school in Litchfield, then went on to complete teacher training in St, Cloud, MN.  June taught in a rural school until she married Lloyd Rick on June 23, 1948.  She and Lloyd owned and operated a farm outside of Litchfield where they raised their six children.  Through the years, June lovingly supported Lloyd and nurtured her children through her gardening, sewing, baking, and cooking.  Even though she was allergic to strawberries, June tended a large strawberry patch during her years on the farm, sharing the berries with many family members and friends in the area.  She was also active in the Ladies’ Aid, the Home Extension Group, and teaching Vacation Bible School, Sunday school,  and Bible History for many of the confirmation classes at St. Paul’s Lutheran.  June enjoyed hosting gatherings at the farm, and hosted Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years dinners for her extended family, sometimes 30 to 40 people.  She took pride in preparing the turkey, duck, goose, beef, or whatever the main course would be, as well as making all the home-made bread, cakes, and pies that would delight all.

June and Lloyd moved to a home on Star Lake when they retired from the farm.  There she enjoyed time to spend on her hobbies: fishing, crocheting, sewing, gardening, and feeding the birds. Her artistic talents had time to grow as she spent happy hours “painting” with her needlework, and with her beautiful gardens. And she continued hosting holiday parties; however, as her own children married and moved to other states, these became smaller events.

After Lloyd’s health declined, they moved into a house in Litchfield.  There June continued gardening, especially building beautiful flower beds.   She also spent more of her time quilting, knitting, and crocheting a prolific number of beautiful afghans and blankets.

After Lloyd’s death in 1992, June married Walt Wittenberg on January 23, 1996.  They attended the Litchfield Community Center regularly for meals and social gatherings.  June loved to dance, a talent that got set aside when she was so busy raising her family.  She even got a couple of her grandsons to dance with her at the Community Center once.  Even though Walt wasn’t big on dancing, (he preferred bowling) they spent 14 happy years together, traveling while they could, and keeping each other company at home.  June lost her dear friend and husband after 14 years, in 2011, to congestive heart failure.  She then shared her home with her daughter, JuLeen, whose husband, Dan, had passed away in 2010.

June continued traveling with JuLeen around the country, from Minnesota to South Carolina, to Houston, Texas, and to Tucson, Arizona to visit JuLeen’s children.  Now she was able to indulge another fun pastime of hers: rock collecting.  In 2015 she moved with JuLeen to Fort Mill, South Carolina to be near JuLeen’s daughter Heather and her family.  Here June lived out her days attending church, watching the birds and flowers, and enjoying her great granddaughters.

June had many loves in her life:  Lloyd, her children, grandchildren, Walt, great grandchildren, gardening, rock collecting, quilting, teaching, traveling, cookies, and ice cream!  But her greatest love of all, and the one she was most passionate about sharing with her family, friends, and others, was JESUS.  She always invited people to come to her home, and she wanted everyone she knew to be with her in heaven as well. She made sure to let people know how to get there: believe in Jesus.

Your talents live on, Mom, in your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren; we’ll take Jesus with us.  We’ll see you in heaven!

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to: Illumine Church Rock Hill SC, Immanuel Lutheran School 20882 Walden Ave, Hutchinson, MN 55350