LeJune Rose Maughan

Jun. 5, 1921 - Nov. 12, 2013

Date of Service: Nov. 23, 2013

LeJune Rose Forsgren Maughan

RUPERT – LeJune Rose Forsgren Maughan, age 92, formerly of Rupert, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013. For the past six years she was being cared for by her daughter and son-in-law, Rosalie and Gary Lawyer, in their home in Mesa, Ariz.

She was raised in Honeyville and Brigham City, Utah, by loving and gentle parents, Elias and Rosa Johansen Forsgren. Her father was a miller for the Big J Flour Mills, and LeJune spoke fondly of her childhood working along side her daddy in the mill. She was an only child, her parents had been married for 11 years before they were blessed to be able to adopt a baby girl whom they named LeJune; she was so much cherished and lovingly cared for. As a child, she remembers helping her Grandma Eliza Forsgren as she raised silk worms and produced silk for the Relief Society sponsored silk industry. The highlight of her teen-age years was her involvement in marching band, where she played the flute, won many awards, and got to travel to perform. Also, she started teaching Primary for her church when she was 12 years old, and taught in that organization for much of her life. Most children who grew up in the Acequia Ward in the '60s, '70s and '80s remember her as a teacher.

After graduating from high school, LeJune attended the Utah Agricultural College (later USU) where she majored in elementary education. She hadn't been in college very long before she met Ralph Maughan, and they married on Oct. 12, 1940, in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Soon after they were married Ralph joined the thousands of soldiers called up to defend our freedom, serving as a Seabee in the South Pacific in World War II. Their first child, Gerald, was born while Ralph was away at war, and this hard separation undoubtedly influenced and shaped their relationship for years to come.

After their military service, LeJune and Ralph settled in Sunset, Utah, where five more children were born within eight years. That was a very busy time for LeJune, with babies coming along within a year or two of each other. She always said she wanted a big family, that she was lonely as an only child, and always wished for brothers and sisters. She gave her children a priceless gift that she had wanted as a child. When her children had a hard time getting along she would remind them how lucky they were to have each other.

In 1956 the family moved to the Rupert area, drew a homestead on Rupert's new Northside, and had their last child, Sharlene. What a privilege it was for those seven children to be raised on that beautiful spot on God's green earth, with acres to roam, ditches to splash in, haystacks to jump from, dirt paths to follow, and places to explore. LeJune's home was a place where kids woke up to the smell of a hot breakfast every morning, where there was dinner on the table every night, where kids enjoyed stories and books, games and roughhousing. Hers was a home that always had its Mom there. LeJune felt adamant about giving her children opportunities like she had being in band. In her meager financial circumstances, she found a way to provide music lessons for her kids. The boys played the trombone. Rosalie is very accomplished on the flute and piccolo. All three girls were afforded piano lessons for many years. There was much sacrifice and dedication that went into this. Sharlene, as many know, has a beautiful soprano voice; she composes and performs publicly. A mother's dedication to her cause has blessed many lives.
As the children grew and left home, LeJune and Ralph were always planning and taking trips. Their children lived at different times in Washington, Arizona, Florida, Colorado, Germany, Texas, California, Utah, and other places. Mom and dad loved the trips they took to see their “little families.” LeJune called her grandchildren “Grandma's Angels.” Their name for her was “Gramma June.”

In her years after the children were grown, LeJune became involved in many varied interests. She was a dedicated volunteer for the Minidoka County Historical Society. She was an officer and/or active member of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers for many years. She went on a weekly organized bus trip to the LDS Temple. She was always working with a group of ladies on a quilt. She loved being involved in Ralph's barbershop music activities, and in other community and school music and theatre productions. She loved her pets and her flowers. She loved to read and to collect recipes and quotes. She loved to have grandchildren in her home where she would let them dress up in her clothes, or make huge messes of toys, games and puzzles, or get out rolls of paper, and brushes and paint for art projects. She made a point of being there for a week or three, for the birth of each of her 44 grandchildren. What a blessing that was in the lives of her children.

LeJune was an active member of her church all her life. She would probably say that her favorite church service, besides teaching Primary, would have been as a stake missionary. She was married to Ralph for 70 years, before he passed away on Oct. 21, 2010. Their children are, Gerald (Reita) of Kearns, Utah, Dwight of Twin Falls, Idaho, Rosalie (Gary) of Mesa, Ariz., Craig (Kathy) of Kearns, Utah, LeAnna (Jay) of Cedar Hills, Utah, Dennis (Barbara) of St. Cloud, Fla., and Sharlene (Mike) of Colorado Springs, Colo.

The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Acequia LDS Church, 20403 5th St., in Acequia, with Bishop Calvin M. Bailey officiating. Burial will follow at 3 p.m. in the Brigham City Cemetery in Brigham City, Utah.

A viewing will be held from 9:30 until 10:45 a.m. Saturday at the church prior to the service.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Rasmussen Funeral Home of Burley.