Birth date: Jun 27, 1933 Death date: Jun 10, 2026
June Leifson passed away peacefully on June 10, 2026, in Orem, Utah. She was born June 27, 1933, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to loving and caring parents, J. Victor Leifson and Mary Bradford Leifson. She was the 8th of their 11 childre Read Obituary
I am sad to learn of June’s passing. She was a dear, dear friend and neighbor to my Mom, Dorothy Bramwell. I loved my visits with June, especially after my Mom passed. June was such a loving, kind person and I’ll always remember her with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye. I hope she and Mom are having wonderful visits in heaven!
Jessica Liang lit a candle in memory of June Leifson
This morning, I saw hummingbirds visiting June’s patio again.
They probably don’t know that the woman who faithfully filled their feeder every day is gone.
The flowers are still blooming.
The sunlight still falls across the same flowerpots.
Everything looks just as it always has.
Except that June will not be stepping outside to greet another summer morning.
As her neighbor, I had the privilege of seeing the quiet beauty of her life.
Her home was always filled with flowers, color, art, and warmth.
She loved beauty.
She loved people.
And she had a gift for making others feel remembered and cared for.
I later learned about the many challenges she faced throughout her life.
Yet what I saw was not hardship.
What I saw was kindness.
Grace.
And a gentle joy that never seemed to leave her.
Yesterday, as I sat in a chapel filled with people who loved her, I understood why.
Some people leave behind accomplishments.
Others leave behind love.
June left both.
Born in June.
Returned in June.
A summer name for a summer soul.
I will think of her whenever I see hummingbirds in the garden.
And I will miss her deeply.
With love,
Jessica Broderick
Dropping off notes in her office when she was Dean of Nursing at BYU when I was a freshman janitor in her SWKT building, and her taking me to eat at the Wilk.
June was one of the first people to welcome us to the neighborhood, greeting us with her warm smile and loving heart. Having served a mission in Japan, she always made our family feel special and connected. Some of the treats and recipes she shared became treasured family favorites. We will always remember her kindness, friendship, and the happiness she brought to those around her. She will be greatly missed. :Etsuko
Elsku June frænka,
Þann 10. júní, bárust sorglega fréttir hingað til Íslands. Þú hafðir fallið heima og látist skömmu seinna. Ánægjulegt var hins vegar að fram að þessum tíma, hafðir þú geta búið heima, alveg að verða 93ja ára. Það var kannski ekkert undarlegt, þú með alla þína jákvæðni og gleði til lífsins og allra í kringum þig. Við hittumst fyrst á Íslandi, þegar þú og systur þínar komu í heimsókn til foreldar minna, líklegast varð það árið 1982. Böndin á milli okkar héldu áfram að styrkjast og áhugi á hjúkrun og tryggð við fjölskylduna áttum við svo sannarlega sameiginlega og það batt okkur alla tíð saman. Þú fórst að fylgjast með mér og fjölskyldu minni, fyrst, fyrir alvöru, þegar ég fluttist með eiginmann og eldri soninn til New York árið 1988. Þar fórum við í MS nám í hjúkrun því á þeim tíma var ekki boðið upp á það hér á Íslandi. Umhyggja þín fyrir mér og fjölskyldunni þegar ég flutti afutr heim til Íslands leyndi sér ekki í öllum bréfunum.
Ég gleymi aldrei þegar ég fékk frá þér tölvupóst árið 1996 þegar ég var þá að stíga mín fyrstu skref sem háskólakennari hér á Akureyri. Þú rifjaðir upp hvernig þú nýr háskólakennari hafðir kepptist við að undirbúa kennsluna, jafnvel fram á kvöld deginum fyrir kennslustund svo að þú gætir örugglega svarað spurningum nemendanna. Þarna var ég einmitt í þessum sporum og mikið sem þessi reynsla þín hjálpaði mér.
Umhyggja þín kom ekki síður fram í gjöfunum þú sendir og almanökin með myndum af dásamlegu náttúrunni í Utah sendir þú árlega, síðast núna í janúar. Á einum veggnum á heimili mínu hangir dásamleg mynd frá Zion gljúfri, sem þú málaðir og gafst mér. Þegar ég útskrifaðist með doktorgráðuna mína árið 2019, bankaði meðlimur úr LDS kirkjunni upp á hjá mér á Akureyri með þessa dásamlega Orchid frá þér. Gaman að segja frá því að hún lifir og gleður mig enn, sjö árum seinna.
Elsku June, ég þakka þér yndislegar samverustundir í Utah í þau tvö skipti sem ég heimsótti ykkur, fjölskylduna þar og fyrir öll bréfin og umhyggjuna sem þú sýndir mér og mínu fólki.
Hvíl í friði, elsku frænka.
Sendi mínar innilegustu samúðarkveðjur til allra ættingja minna í Ameríku, the Leifson family
Dear June,
On June 10, sad news reached us here in Iceland. You had fallen at home and passed away shortly afterward. It was, however, comforting to know that up until that time you had been able to live independently at home, almost reaching the age of 93. That was perhaps not surprising, with all your positivity and joy in life and for everyone around you.
We first met in Iceland when you and your sisters came to visit my parents, most likely in 1982. The bond between us continued to grow stronger, and we certainly shared both an passion for nursing and a deep caring for our family, which kept us connected over the years. You truly began to follow me and my little family when I moved with my x-husband and older son to New York in 1988. There, we pursued a master’s degree in nursing, as such studies were not offered í Iceland at the time. Your care and concern for me and my family when i moved back home in Iceland were evident in all your letters.
I will never forget the email I received from you in 1996, when I was taking my first steps as a university teacher here in Akureyri. You recalled how, as a new lecturer yourself, you worked tirelessly to prepare your teaching, even late into the evening before a class, so that you could confidently answer students’ questions. At that very moment I was in the same position, and your experience helped me greatly.
Your kindness was also evident in the gifts you sent, and in the calendars with photographs of the beautiful nature of Utah that you sent every year, most recently this January. On one wall in my home hangs a wonderful painting of Zion Canyon that you painted and gave to me. When I graduated with my doctoral degree in 2019, a member of the LDS Church knocked on my door in Akureyri with a beautiful orchid from you. I am happy to say that it is still alive and continues to bring me joy seven years later.
Dear June, I thank you for the wonderful times we shared in Utah during my two visits to you and your family there, and for all your letters and the care you showed me and my loved ones.
Rest in peace, dear aunt June.
I send my deepest condolences to all my relatives in America, the Leifson family.
I loved June's loving heart and beautiful example of living life to the fullest. She loved to travel. paint, and especially read. She read over 100 books of all kinds in a year and still filled her obligations that she committed to. She was a one of a kind beautiful lady.
Margaret Gant
June was a ray of sunshine! No matter what the challenge, she always had a smile on her face. I loved talking about Rachmaninoff music and Icelandic family history with her. What a great and noble woman!
--Laura Madsen
I met and had the pleasure of visiting with June while selling a couple of homes in her neighborhood. We became fast friends because of her open, friendly way of interacting with everyone. She always shared a big smile and a huge THANK YOU, when I brought berry muffins, cinnamon rolls or spaghetti sauce. I have been welcomed into her home from Day 1 of our first interaction. One of the sweetest ladies I have had the pleasure of knowing. I already miss her!
