Celia Jocelyn Hulett June, eldest child of Frederick and Mary Tinker Hulett, born in Canaan, CT Sept. 5, 1935, died peacefully in Lake Jackson,TX on December 15, 2023. Celia, or Ceil as she is known to her friends and family, was raised on a dairy farm in Clayton, MA that at the time of its sale in 2021, had been in her family for over 120 years. She is predeceased by her sister, Lois and brother, Dick.
After graduating high school in Mill River, MA, Ceil successfully completed the 3 year diploma nursing program at Flower 5th Avenue Hospital in New York City. Through her brother Dick, she met Franz June (deceased), the father of her surviving daughters: Melissa Bye (husband Jeff) of Sandisfield,MA, Rebecca McMahan of Houston,TX, and Mary Frances June of Lake Jackson,TX. She also leaves her grandchildren, David and Emily McMahan and Celia Rose June.
Ceil had a long, varied and successful career as a registered nurse. She began by working in hospitals as a supervisor. Later, as a nurse educator, along with her friend and colleague, May Beth Brocker, Ceil was asked to found the LVN program at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson,TX.
Ceil also spent time as a director of nursing at nursing home/ rehab facilities in Houston, and later in Western MA after she returned to the family farm in the Berkshires to care for her mother. Towards the end of her career Ceil worked part time in nursing home/rehab facilities. Nursing wasn't just a job for Ceil, it was truly a calling. She loved being a nurse and didn't completely retire until she was in her 70s.
Throughout her life Ceil was a very active volunteer. She served her Congregational church in East Canaan, CT, was a member of the New Marlborough Cultural Council, served as president of a hospice board in Lake Jackson, TX, sang in the choir at Covenant Evangelical Presbyterian in Lake Jackson, and volunteered at Brazosport Hospital.
Ceil loved reading, crossword puzzles, gardening, watching Ken Burns and nature programs on PBS, Jeopardy, music (Tanglewood in the Berkshires was one of her "happy places"), cooking and entertaining. Indeed, after moving back to the Berkshires her extended family in New England loved gathering for Thanksgiving at the farm.
At Ceil's request there will be no services. At a later date, there will be a gathering celebrating her life at her eldest daughter's home in Sandisfield,MA. While there is not enough room to acknowledge all of Ceil's friends whom she cherished and who made her life richer, a special thanks goes to Paula Gonzalez, a loyal, helpful friend to the end. Thanks go out to the staff at Oak Village Health Care, and to Hopestone Hospice for making Ceil's final days peaceful and pain free.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the World Wildlife Fund, St.Judes Children's Hospital, the ASPCA, your local food bank, or your local PBS station.

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