June Schoening
June Schoening Obituary
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of June Marie Schoening, beloved wife of Gary Schoening, who passed away on November 11, 2025, at the age of 82.
June was the devoted mother of Todd Thibideau of Haney, BC, and Jason Thibideau of Victoria, BC. She will also be deeply missed by her half-siblings Dorothy Minot of Haney, BC, Sharon McCann and Rick Rogers, both of Ontario.
June was predeceased by her adoptive parents, Harold Jack Staples and Jessie Marie Christine Smith Staples, as well as her birth parents, Sidney A. Atkinson and Esther Mae Paulsen, whom she came to know about later in life.
Born in 1943, June was adopted at six months of age by the Staples family and spent most of her childhood in Haney, BC. After graduating from high school, she embraced a spirit of adventure—traveling widely and working across Canada in cities such as Winnipeg, Toronto, and Edmonton. In May 1966 she welcomed her first son, Todd. Following the passing of her mother in 1971, June returned to Haney, where she met and married Gordon Thibideau. Together they welcomed her second son, Jason, in 1975. Though their marriage ended, June and Gordon remained lifelong friends. In 2002, June decided to move to Barons, Alberta where she lived for two years before moving to Lethbridge.
June met Gary Schoening in 2008, with whom she shared 17 loving and fulfilling years. Their partnership was one of mutual respect, affection, and companionship—a cherished chapter in June’s life.
Friends may gather with the family at 1:00pm on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at CHRISTENSEN SALMON GENERATIONS FUNERAL HOME, 703-13th Street North, Lethbridge. The service will be livestreamed, the link will be posted below. June will be laid to rest at 2:00pm in the Green Burial section of Royal View Cemetery, 5920 13th Street North, Lethbridge, next to Pavan Park.
Memorial donations may be made to the Birds of Prey Nature Centre, 2124 16 Avenue, Coaldale, Alberta, T1M 1J8, or by visiting https://burrowingowl.com/content.php?p=40.
June will be remembered for her warmth, resilience, and generous spirit. Her legacy lives on in the family she loved so dearly and the many lives she touched along the way.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of June Schoening, please visit our floral store.