June 25, 1919 ~ December 31, 2008

The matriarch of our family, June Gourley Searle, returned peacefully to her Heavenly Father December 31, 2008.

June was born on June 25, 1919 in Pleasant Grove, Utah the daughter of David and Dora West Gourley.  June graduated from Pleasant Grove High School.  While June was attending BYU, she met a handsome young man, Lynn Scott Searle.  They were married in the Salt lake LDS Temple on June 17, 1940.  They had four children: Robert, Ramon, Judith and Karen.

June received both her bachelor's and master's degrees from Brigham Young University majoring in elementary education.  In 1974, she received her Ph.D. from the University of Utah with a major in educational administration.  Her first teaching position was in Panguitch, Utah where she taught English and dramatic art.  She also taught in Granite and Jordan school districts and then on to the BYU Lab School.   Dr. Searle assisted in opening up summer sessions at the Church College of Hawaii and she developed programs to enhance learning and teaching skills for the Native Americans in Southern Utah.  She was active in many civic and church organizations and served as an active member in professional areas such as Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Kappa Gamma, Utah Education Association an ACEI.  She helped to develop and write curriculum and conferences for gifted and talented children while at BYU.  Many remember her annual display of the Sugar Plum Dream.

June served an LDS mission with her husband in Roanoke, VA from 1985 to 1987.   She was a member of the LDS Church all of her life and loved serving in those capacities to which she was called.  She served as a temple ordinance worker at the Provo Temple for a number of years.

June is survived by her children:  Robert (Cheryl) Searle, West Bountiful, UT; Ramon (Judy) Searle, Mesa, AZ; Karen (David) Pond, Holland; 19 grandchildren; 43 great grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; brother, sister, and many loving nephews, nieces and dear friends.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Lynn, daughter, Judith (Louis) Brackett and granddaughter, Anna (Luke) Downer.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to Dr. James Woodmansee and to Susan Willis and Jerri Taylor at Harmony Home Health for their loving care.

Funeral services will be provided by Olpin Family Mortuary and will be held Friday, January 9, 2009 at 11 a.m. at the Pleasant View Ward, 650 East Stadium Avenue in Provo (located just north of the Missionary Training Center in Provo.)     The viewing will be held Thursday evening, January 8 from 6-8 p.m. at the Pleasant View Ward and Friday morning from 9:45 a.m to 10:45 a.m. prior to services.  Interment will be at the Pleasant Grove Cemetery, 500 South Main Street, Pleasant Grove, Utah.

The family requests donations to the BYU Education Fund or the LDS Church Missionary Fund in lieu of flowers.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.olpinmortuary.com

Condolences (4)

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Bob and Ruth Shoell said:

Searle Family, Ruth and I express our sincere sympathy to you at the passing of your loved one. June and Lynn have been good friends for years and we appreciated all those good years spent together while serving on the Timpanogos Stake High Council. June was so very kind to us. Her brother, Dick, also had a special place in my heart. If one of you wants to get in touch with me I will tell you that story. We pray the blessings of Heaven to be with you, always. Bob and Ruth Shoell

January 06, 2009

Shanna Callahan Nerdin said:

Mrs. Searle was my favorite teacher! She taught me in second grade at the old BYU Lab School in the mid 1960's. As I recall, I only had her half a year because she was on "sabbatical" which meant nothing to me at that time. I just felt sorry for myself that I didn't get her the whole year. I remember her reading books out loud to us as we sat at her feet. I felt that she really cared for me and I loved her. I'm sorry to hear of her passing; she will live on in my memory. My condolences to her family.

January 07, 2009

Verla (Beckstead) Sperry said:

Dear Karen and Family, I want to tell you how much I enjoyed knowing your mother as your mom, my friend, and an instructor. She was truly a great and noble lady. She leaves a lot of precious memories. I'm sure your dad is glad to have her back. Sincerely, Verla Sperry

January 08, 2009

Linda Shanklin Jackson said:

I took an education class from Sister Searle at BYU. I joined the church when I was 20 and went to BYU when I was 21. She taught her class in the most fun way possible, and was so encouraging of our creativity and joy in teaching. My poor husband was taking all those hard engineering classes and I got to have her class! It seemed so unfair ( to him! ) I remember going to her house for the Sugar Plum Dream night. Yummy treats and eye candy too! I still have the mimeograph papers from that, though they are sort of faded and weird looking by now! What a wonderful lady! I am so glad I got to know her. Her impact lives on. ( I have had my own gifted children, among them a son with cerebral palsy...my teacher training at BYU has stood us in good stead as we advocate for and have taught our own children. Then there are the grandchildren...and the beat goes on!) I can just imagine how wonderful it was to be actually in her family! She will be so missed by so many.

April 07, 2009