June (Iverson) Bendewald Planutis, 89, of St. Joseph, MI went to Jesus on Friday, March 5, 2021.

June was born on June 13, 1931 on the family farm in Farmvale Township in North Dakota to Henry and Hilma Iverson. She was the eighth of eleven children. She was baptized and confirmed in her Christian faith at Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Tioga.

June attended The Iverson School in her elementary years and graduated from Tioga High School in 1949. She then attended St. Francis School of Nursing in Minot, ND and received her RN degree in 1951. She married her high school sweetheart, Daryl Bendewald, of Wheelock, ND on March 17, 1954.

The Lord blessed June and Daryl with 4 children, Jon, Sheri, Jeff, Danny, and 47 wonderful years together. They moved to Spokane, WA in 1963 to raise their growing family. She worked at Sacred Heart Medical Center in the Kidney Center for most of her career. She forged strong bonds with her coworkers and her patients. One coworker said that she was like an angel sent from above and was known to care for the under-served both physically and spiritually. She was known to buy them shoes, clothing and invite them to her home for supper and fellowship.

June and Daryl taught square dancing and round dancing for over 25 years and were instrumental in forming the Wild Rose Ramblers Square Dance club which still goes strong today in Spokane. She became a distance runner in the mid-seventies and ran several marathons and Bloomsday races. She loved gardening, playing bridge and working crossword puzzles. She was an active member of St. Matthew Lutheran Church. She loved to travel and went to Hawaii, New York, Texas, Norway, and the Mediterranean Sea. She was proud of the fact that she was 100% Norwegian and was a great Norwegian cook.

June and Daryl moved to Hartland, MN in 1992 and made it their home. After an illness, Daryl went to Jesus on July 13, 2001. She then moved back to her beloved North Dakota to take care of her older siblings. She then married Gerald Planutis on November 29, 2008 and moved to Bridgman, MI. June and Jerry spent 12 great years together. She loved to play dominoes and to spend winters in Arizona.

June was blessed with a deep abiding faith in her Savior Jesus and her faith was seen through many acts of kindness. She became well known for always wearing fashionable high heels. For the past year, she loved to shout, “Hallelujah” with her hands in the air and her purple prayer shawl over her shoulders.
Her first dance in heaven is with Jesus, but it looks like her high school sweetheart, Daryl, is tapping Jesus on the shoulder to cut in and dance with June on God’s hardwood floor. And they will dance.

June is survived by her husband, Jerry, and her 4 children, Jon (Leanne) Bendewald, Sheri (Bill) Donovan, Jeff (Melody) Bendewald, and Danny Bendewald. She is also survived by the lights of her life, her grandchildren, Michelle (Andre’) Hitt, David (Bekah) Bendewald, Rachel Bendewald; Aaron (Lisa) Gilliland, Kellen (Tami) Utpadel, Kyle (Chelsey) Utpadel, Betsy (Tim) Bartness, Natalie Donovan and fiancee’ Jack Thompson; Hailey Bendewald, Caleb (Brentley) Bendewald, Sam Bendewald; Seth (Julie) Bendewald, Kelsi Bendewald, Kendra Bendewald and Kate Pitts; 14 great-grandchildren; dear sisters, Jan Broe and Myrt Ecklund; sister-in-law, Sally Bendewald; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

June was preceded in death by her beloved husband Daryl, her parents, siblings and spouses, Alvin (Gladys) Iverson, Inez (Otto) Langager, Hazel (Gerald) Germundson, Harold (Martha) Iverson, Rudy Iverson, Kenny Iverson, Lester Iverson, Doris Sinness; brothers-in-law, Tony Kirschbaum, Clark Ecklund, Ed Varty, Lavern Broe, Alan Bendewald ; sister-in-law Joy Gilbert.

“O LORD God, You did it! You changed my sad lament into a whirling dance; You tore off my sad mourning clothes and decked me in festive attire. I am about to burst with song; I cannot keep quiet about You, O LORD God, my God; I cannot thank You enough!” Hallelujah! Psalm 30:11-12