Jan. 23, 1919 - Oct. 31, 2013
Date of Service: Nov. 9, 2013
June Thelma Grigg Carey
BURLEY – June Thelma Grigg Carey, age 94, passed away on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2013. She had been a resident of Burley, Idaho, for the past 53 years.
June was born in Nampa, Idaho, to Parley Mormon Grigg Jr. and Thankful Halsey Gardner on Jan. 23, 1919. June was one of thirteen children born to Parley and Thankful. June spent her childhood years between Oregon and Idaho. She could often be found on the back of a horse reading a book while she watched the family cows. She showed from an early age her zeal for life and learning. June graduated as valedictorian from Vale High School in 1938. June married her sweetheart, Kenneth Payne Carey, of Vale, Ore., on Nov. 18, 1936. Ken and June made Vale their first home. Ken and June Carey were sealed in the Salt Lake LDS Temple in 1939. During World War II, Ken and June worked as carpenters and farmed to help make ends meet as they started their family. Ken and June had nine children. Their family moved from Ontario, Ore., to Burley, where Ken built houses and worked as a carpenter for Ore-Ida – which had been started by June’s brothers and brother-in-law (Nephi Grigg, Golden Grigg, and Otis Williams). During this time, June jumped into real estate with her brother, Dick Grigg, who had recently started Grigg Realty. After establishing herself in the real estate business, her brother moved away and June decided to start her own real estate firm. She named it “Carey and Adams” after herself and Monroe Adams, who was working with her at the time. Carey and Adams Realty still stands today and is run by her son-in-law, Gary McCall. June was president of the Burley-Rupert Board of Realtors multiple times. She also received the Realtor of the Year Award numerous times during her real estate career.
June decided to retire from real estate in 1980 and to pursue her life’s passion – art. June attended Brigham Young University, Idaho State University, Boise State University, and the College of Southern Idaho. She sought out every last art class offered by all of these schools and immersed herself in the vibrant world of art. June loved to paint with oils, watercolors, and acrylics. Her favorite subjects to paint were her grandchildren and the beauty of Southern Idaho. You can see her paintings throughout the Magic Valley. She has had paintings displayed in the Cassia Regional Medical Center, Burley City Hall, the Burley Public Library, the College of Southern Idaho campus, Boise State University campus, the King Fine Arts Center, and in all the homes of her loving children and grandchildren. She won many awards for her paintings in shows across the Northwest and was an avid member and supporter of the local art guild.
June also loved to sculpt. She loved to sculpt her grandchildren and other scenes that were so vivid in her mind of the farm life that she grew up with. One of her largest sculptures now stands at Burley City Hall’s Centennial Park. It is entitled “The Irrigator” and is based off her brother, Golden Grigg – an early southern Idaho farmer irrigating his crops. Her ability to capture these moments and imagery were part of what made her such a unique and talented artist.
June loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. June was constantly found helping and lifting them up.
June is survived by her nine children, Nancy (Bert) Bean of Pleasant Grove, Utah, Will (Sheryl) Carey of Hood River, Ore., Hallie (Ron) Broce of Evanston, Wyo., Helen Vernon of Alpine, Utah, Colleen (Gary) McCall of Burley, George (Marjean) Carey of Sandy, Utah, Alice (David) Hansen of Burley, Miriam (Scott) Frazier of Alpine, Utah, and Phillip (Donna) Carey of Hilo, Hawaii; one brother, Richard Grigg of Ontario, Ore.; 48 grandchildren; and 80 great-grandchildren.
June was preceded in death by her parents, Parley and Thankful; her sweetheart, Ken; a son-in-law, Richard Vernon; one grandson, George Broce; eight brothers, Parley, Lamar, Eugene, Wells, Nephi, Golden, Jim and Heber; and by two sisters, Leah Dyas and Kathryn Williams.
Grandma Carey epitomized the meaning of charity and true love. She was the perfect example to our entire family of how one of God’s children should act in this crazy world. She loved good humor and with her passing she left us with the trick of her passing on Halloween, and the treat of her memory and wonderful life she led! We love you, Grandma!
The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Burley LDS West Stake Center, 2420 Parke Ave., in Burley, with Bishop David Hansen officiating Burial will follow in the Pleasant View Cemetery.
Friends may call from 5 until 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at the Rasmussen Funeral Home, 1350 E. 16th St., in Burley, and from noon until 12:45 p.m. Saturday at the church.
