Share this page"June - We'll be Together Again!"
- Details
- Published on Friday, 22 June 2012 16:45
- Written by Stanton O. Berg
"JUNE - WE'LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN!"
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(June and Stan - 2002 - 50th Anniversary Year - 6th Alzheimer's Year)
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This poem for June and my 60th wedding anniversary was inspired by the 1964 Country hit song by Buck Owens under the name of “Together Again”. – Popular almost 50 years ago… It was later released by Ray Charles and Emmy lou Harris and finally as a duet by Kenny Rogers and Dottie West. I changed the title from the present to the future tense, discarded much, added much and completely rewrote the remainder of the song to be compatible with June, my and God’s World.
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"JUNE, WE'LL BE TOGETHER AGAIN!"
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Those golden memories and silver tears will be,
my hearts Souvenirs, when we're together again.
When we're together again, my tears will stop falling.
The long lonely nights will come to an end!
June, the key to my heart you still hold in your hand.
When we're together again, the grey skies will be gone.
The love that we once knew, will be living again.
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My days pass with memories , my nights lonesome times…
When we're together again, my tears will stop falling.
The long lonely nights will come to an end!
June, the key to my heart you still hold in your hand.
The love that we once knew will be living again.
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At 91 years, I 'm near life’s end…June will you be there…
to show me the way?... when we’ll be together again...
in that bright land far away...in The Kingdom of God...
A land of no tears, no death, no sorrow, no pain…*
Where we’ll never be old, when we’ll be together again...
And the love we once knew, will be living again!
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Stan’s Notes: This poem was originally written in honor of the 50th anniversary of June and my marriage on August 16th, 1952. June and I were married for 56 years before Alzheimer’s took her away from me. June was a very special, unique and humble lady that one would expect to encounter only once in a lifetime. In spite of her many personal charitable and church activities, June always made light of and ignored her own achievements. June was a lady totally without guile or pretense. June’s personality never strayed far from that of the farm girl from Colfax, Wisconsin that I first met in 1951. June was the love and light of my life and I have often said that she “made my life an adventure”.
We traveled the US, Canada and Europe in connection with my forensic science activities. I called June my "Administrative Assistant." In 1969, June and I attended the first ever, "Soviet-American Symposium in Forensic Science" in Moscow and Leningrad, Russia during the height of the "Cold War."...a few years later while June and I were in Rome for a Forensic Medicine conference we had an audience with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican and June shook his hand... our passing years became a continuous series of new adventures until June was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in January 1998 following her short term memory concerns in 1997.
JUNE'S JOURNEY THROUGH ALZHEIMER'S
June was still able to lead an active life with me for the first Six years of her journey into the shadows of Alzheimer's. We both made adjustments for June's loss of short term memory in the early years of the disease. The above photo of June and I was taken in May of 2002. June was into her 4th year of Alzheimer's but doing well. We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary that year.
Alzheimer's started taking control of June's life in the (7th) seventh year. Thereafter, I slowly lost June, tear drop by tear drop. The photo below of June and my hands was taken near the end of the 10th year of June's journey into the darkness of Alzheimer's. June was no longer responsive to speech or touch and gave no indication of knowing me. Holding June's hand was my only means of communicating with her and my way of telling June I loved her. June would hold her little Christian cross, hand-made of walnut, in her right hand, giving it up only when put to bed for the day. After a struggle with Alzheimer's of almost 12 years, an exhausted June was taken home to heaven on 23 October 2008.
It is my hope that I can join with June when my life on earth ends! My wedding ring has never left my left hand ring finger since the day we were married. I have instructed the family that it is not to be removed from my finger when God's curtain of life comes down on my final act! The diamond ring on my right hand as seen in the below photo, was placed on June's right hand at the funeral service and it remains with her at Lakewood. June's diamond engagement ring I wear on a gold chain around my neck every day.
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Stan's Note: As of July 2020, Approximately 14,300 persons have viewed this page.
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(June and Stan's hands - 31 October 2007)
This photo by Jim Gehrz (photographer for Minneapolis Star -Tribune) was a candid shot taken in connection with a feature article that the Star-Tribune published on 24 November 2007 entitled "June and Stan - to Have and to Hold for 55 years". Mr. Gehrz simply followed June and I around the Benedictine on a day in late October 2007.
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READER'S COMMENTS
Stan’s Introductory Comments: By publishing these “Reader’s Comments,” it is not my intention to in any way suggest that the marriage relationship and the love that June and I had/have for each other and experienced during our lifetime together is in any way superior to similar relationships of other’s. It is merely a collection of the reactions of readers to this page in June’s website. Some are simple appreciative comments; some are generous and kind comments reflecting the care and concern of others. Some comments are a sharing of the reader’s own experiences. Many reflect the love of God. These comments often reflect the human and the caring side of the readers. It is my hope that if June is able to look in on us, that she can see and understand how much I appreciate the love and the life that she gave to me and that I miss her very much…there will never be another to take her place! If anyone is searching for evidence of a caring and loving God, need they look further then these comments?
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Debra Brown Leen – Bangor,Maine - (23 June 2012): "she will be RIGHT THERE with a big smile....waiting for you!!!!! but in the meantime...you are doing wonderful work and she knows it....and is so proud of you!!"... (16 August 2012): "...my husband and I have been married only 34 years.....you and June are an inspiration!!!! true love!!!"
Ursula Zarecki Sypniewski – Toms River, New Jersey - (23 June 2012): “I loved this poem! I believe she is always watching over you and waiting for you. But.........not just yet!”
Dianne Cogar – Springfield, Ohio – (25 June 2012): “..., your heart swings wide open, once again, with something beautiful to say in commemoration of the amazing love that keeps you and June connected spiritually. What a lovely poem, and what a lucky woman to have been loved so deeply…all the years you were together...I am certain she's smiling, all the while, as you carry on her legacy and as you are doing the ongoing work you do to help others who are dealing with Alzheimer's. ...the poet in you shines a beautiful light on June... and I'm sure she looks just as radiant as you remember!" (16 July 2012): "..., the poet in you ever shines brightly giving others much to think about when it come to loves authority. Yours is something so very real and not simply imagined through the eyes of a hopeful. Bless you for all you do to impress upon the world the value of love."
(Dorothy Peabody - White Bear Lake, Minnesota - (15 July 2012): "What a beautiful tribute to the love and light of your life. You had an awesome life together and formed some beautiful memories for you and your family."
Kathy Spence- Willow Street, Pennsylvania - (16 July 2012):"...read your posts with pleasure and a bit of sorrow...your love for your wife and your relationship is a thing of beauty."
Sandy Williams Spencer- Phoenix, Arizona- (23 July 2012): "Free-Alzheimers-Support.Com -... has the best articles about his wife June and their love for each other shines through everyone of them--"
Adrienne Francoise Miller - Alexandria, Virginia - (28 July 2012): "Very nice, ...! And I just love the photo of the two of you...you look so happy together. You're lucky to have had such a wonderful relationship and it's great to see that you'll always cherish."
Linda Brannan - Glasgow, UK - (29 July 2012): "What a wonderful poem born from a lovely song and indeed you will be together again when its time , Gods time being the best time as my lovely grandma always told me as a child ,she will sure delight in meeting you at heavens door to be with her forever ."
Marni Ingram EnstadAanerud - Bakersfield, California - (29 July 2012): "I just love this...your love for her is so true and amzing! Thank You for sharing!God Bless..."
Carol Crawley- United Kingdom - (29 July 2012): "Thank you so much for sharing...thats real true love."
Dementia UK- London, United Kingdom - (30 July 2012): "What an incredible poem and lovely tribute! Thank you very much for sharing it with us ."
Judy Langley- Halifax, Nova Scotia - (30 July 2012): "May you feel her LOVE in your heart always...She sounds incredible...God be with you ."
Lori Nelson Pollitt - Dalla, Texas - (16 August 2012): "I love your cover photo. You're there holding June up and by doing so, the two of you form a complete LOVE."
Isabel Harper - Belfast, United Kingdom - (16 August 2012): "You were blesssed with many wonderful years together, June is watching over you I'm sure and waiting..."
Christine Pickard - Lincolnshire, United Kingdom - (16 August 2012): ..."Thinking about you today . your love for June ..she not be far From you. You are Soulmates a bond Will be with you forever ...... Much Love to you both on your special day ...so glad to know you...thanks for sharing ..Best Wishes."
Catherine Jones-Hatcher - Richmond, Virginia - (16 August 2012): "You already know how much I relate to your feelings. Enjoy this bittersweet day and know that I will be imagining my self at the concert, and thinking of you at dinner!!! My best to you always..."
Monte Stephens - Jefferson City, Tennessee - (16 August 2012): "...one knows when God gave them a gift from heaven. It is good to see a man who knows that..."
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June's Passing
After an almost 12 year journey into the shadows of Alzheimer's, early one morning in late October 2008, an exhausted June felt God's gentle touch on her shoulder and heard the words: "Come Home June!" As June lay like a wounded soldier on a battlefield, it was God's Angels that ushered June into a Heavenly Kingdom to the sound of a chorus of Angels...and into June's new home, a "Mansion on the Hilltop", where there is no pain, nor illness nor tears...June's funeral notice as published in the Minneapolis Star in October 2008 can be seen on this website in the drop down menu under the "In Memoriam" label - just Click on:
"June K. (Rolstad) Berg - In Memoriam"