June’s family moved to Los Angeles in 1939 from Stockton at a time when the city was still a maze of dirt roads and orange groves. Life was different then: bread and milk were delivered to their door, and their freezer was simply a block of ice placed inside the refrigerator. Her mother bought June her first car—a 1932 Chevrolet coup with real rumble seats—for just $100.

Her high school shorthand teacher helped her land a part-time job at MGM Studios in Culver City while she was still a student. She began as a messenger delivering script changes to departments involved in film production, and later became a secretary in the Personnel Department. During that time, she saw many of the great stars of the day: Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Taylor, Peter Lawford, and Robert Mitchum.

June also met her husband at MGM, and they married in 1953. They have two sons, both Emmy Award winners in the entertainment industry—one a former Chief of Staff for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the other a documentary filmmaker. In retirement, she and her husband traveled extensively. June especially loves cruising because she enjoys dressing up every evening. Her philosophy on aging: “Enjoy yourself. Life is wonderful. Every day is precious.”