Leota 'June' Winchester

Leota June Winchester (known as June), age 80, mother, wife, grandmother, great-grand grandmother, sister, friend, and the best chocolate cake baker in history, passed away on 7/17/09. June was born on July 19, 1928 in Oologah, Oklahoma to the late Harold and Berta Brawley. She married Dwight Winchester in Garfield County, Oklahoma on March 29, 1946. They moved to Bozeman, Montana in 1954 where Dwight, with his brother Burl, started BD Angus Ranch. Over the next many years the family worked on Ranches in Choteau MT, Marble Mount WA, Shelley ID, Hecla SD, and Durant MS, before finally settling for a time back in Waukomis OK from 1969 to 1980. Although she spent most of her life as a rancher#8217;s wife, raising five sons, in Oklahoma she worked several jobs including her sons#8217; favorite, at a Braum#8217;s Ice Cream store. In 1980 they, along with their son Clint, moved to Wilsall MT, where for a time Dwight managed Trinity Bridger Angus Ranch; upon its dispersal they moved and started their own ranch in Bozeman MT, Winchester Angus. In 2006, as both were suffering from poor health, they moved to Belgrade MT, into the home of their son and daughter-in-law, Jay Barbara Winchester. Dwight passed away in February 2007. In her later years June enjoyed attending the Belgrade Senior Center, where she was affectionately known as Junebug, sitting in the sun on the deck of her home, and visiting with family and friends. The family would like to thank Rocky Mountain Hospice, and specifically Felicia and Genevieve, for the loving care and support they gave June and the family during this time. She is survived by five sons and four daughter-in-laws, Eric and Kit Winchester of Tampa FL, Scott Melody Winchester of McKinney TX, Bill Peggy Winchester of Enid OK, Jay Barbara Winchester of Belgrade MT, and Clint Winchester of Bozeman MT; nine grandchildren, Eric Jr., Nina, and Clara of Tampa FL, Joe of Dallas TX, Cody of Stillwater OK, Jill of Enid OK, Ron of Bison OK, Philip of Los Angeles CA, and Ian of Bozeman MT; six great-grandchildren, Caitlin, Mason, Weston, Matthew, Grant Corey James. She is further survived by two sisters (Wanda Haskins and Berta May O#8216;Donnell), nieces, nephews, and other relatives and many friends including Mark, Jeanne, Sierra, and Austin Rehyer; Berl Kay Hamilton; Lowell Klatt; Doug Baggett; and the Todd family of Ryegate, as well as all her many friends from the Belgrade Senior Center. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her husband Dwight, her brother Glenn, and her grandson Matthew. Please, in lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made to Reach, Inc., 322 Gallatin Park Dr., Bozeman, MT 59715. Reach is a nonprofit agency that serves Dwight and June#8217;s disabled son, Clint. An Open House to remember June will be held at the Belgrade Senior Center from 6 #8211; 8 PM on Tuesday, July 28th.