June G. Kaiser

June Rose (Gauer) Kaiser passed away peacefully at home on February 19, 2025 at the age of 98. June was born January 2, 1927 in Elizabeth, NJ to Charles Edward Gauer and Mildred Sullivan Gauer. She resided with her family in Linden, NJ until marrying her husband, Fred M. Kaiser in 1946. 

In 1950, June and Fred moved to Cranford, NJ, where they raised their two children, Paul and Christina. A woman ahead of her time, June began her career in journalism before earning a Master’s Degree in special education. She spent the majority of her career as the Director of Outpatient Services at Children’s Specialized Hospital, where she helped provide medical and rehabilitative care to children and youth with unique health challenges. She treated each child she worked with as if they were her own family. 

Upon their retirement, June and Fred purchased a home in Briny Breezes, FL, a coastal community where they enjoyed the beach, pool aerobics and volunteer activities away from the frigid winter weather in New Jersey. June especially enjoyed hosting her grandchildren during spring break, planning crafts and adventures for them. It was here that she was able to dedicate more time to her passion for drawing and painting, often earning awards for her artwork. Family summers were spent in Cape May, leading the pack down to the beach, building sandcastles, and searching for seashells.  

Lovingly referred to as “The Church Lady”, June was a prominent figure in Cranford’s Calvary Lutheran Church congregation, where she taught Sunday School, worked in the administrative office, sang in the choir, and often gave sermons on Sunday mornings. Even into her 90s, June would read to the children at the nursery school and write inspirational and relatable stories for the Sunday Times publication. 

June’s home in Cranford has been a sanctuary for many generations over the past 75 years, serving as the heart of the Kaiser family’s Christmas Eve traditions. For hours, family gathered around the tree to reminisce, sip coffee, and exchange gifts, creating memories to last a lifetime. Her dining room table was always a gathering place for late-night study sessions, complete with snacks and great company. After all, no one could rattle off a history fact, English term, or Bible verse quite like she could, with such effortless precision. 

No words can truly capture the depth of the life June lived over her 98 years, but her family and friends will always remember how she embraced each day with passionate faith and unwavering love, for humans and animals alike. June was a true creative— a writer, singer, pianist, artist, and storyteller. She met everyone with kindness and an open heart. To know her was to love her and be loved by her in return. 

June is survived by her daughter, Christina, grandchildren Shaun, Aimee, Lisa Rose, and Liam and her great-granddaughter Marianna Rose. She is predeceased by husband Fred, her siblings Carl and Nancy, her son, Paul and her darling dog, Benny. Her family is grateful for the joyous reunion taking place in heaven with her return home to Jesus. A memorial service will be planned for the spring at Calvary Lutheran Church in Cranford, NJ.