June Nanine Elias

June Nanine Elias passed away on August 17, 2024. She was born on March 15, 1933, the Ides of March and the day Julius Caesar died, which she often reminded those around her of, in Plymouth, PA. She was the daughter of Julia Krystofik and Charles Smith, who died when she was very young, leaving June and her mother on their own.

June was an only child, seemingly the last of her generation born just after the Great Depression and before World War II. She grew up in difficult times, often moving between relatives and homes, seeking a brighter future. In 1945, her mother married Frank Piszczek, and life took a turn for the better. Frank’s family operated the Piszczek Funeral Parlor in Plymouth, PA, so June spent her early years living there. Observing her mother preparing the deceased likely influenced her future in many ways.

In 1954, June married Michael J. Elias, who was her husband for 54 years until his death in 2008. She was also preceded in death by her mother, Julia, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 100. June and Mike built a home in Bear Creek on the outskirts of Wilkes-Barre. Though it was a never-ending project, it allowed June to decorate and customize their dwelling with her collectibles. Julia moved in with them after being displaced by Hurricane Agnes in 1972 and lived with her daughter until her death.

June, Mike, and Julia later moved to Carlisle in 2006 to be closer to their only child, Damien Elias, and his family. In the end, June lived alone in her Carlisle home, surrounded by her collectibles and many paintings. An artist at heart, she attended art school shortly after high school. She worked as a colorist for many years, adding layers of color paint to black-and-white photographs before color film became common. June painted landscapes, murals, animals, and Native American scenes for most of her life, depicting places and images she had only dreamed of.

June was also a professional hairdresser, owning a salon in Wilkes-Barre, PA, for over 30 years before starting her second career in the late 1980s as a commercial baker. She worked early mornings baking cakes and pies for a chain of family restaurants in Northeast PA. Her third career was as a collector, acquiring unique items during her travels throughout the northeast US. She had a keen eye for small figurines, metal garden objects, birdcages, Native American dolls, bamboo furniture, and large steel cauldrons. Her expertise was often sought by traders and buyers at flea markets and swap meets. Identified by her fiery red hair, her trademark color, June was a beacon of knowledge.

June is survived by her only child, Damien, his wife Sondra, and their children Alexa (husband Nathan) and Daniel (wife Dana), as well as three grand-dogs: Toby (deceased), Ruby, and Ollie. A Catholic Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick Shrine Church on Pomfret Street, Carlisle, on August 30, 2024, at 2 PM, with interment of both she and her husband to follow at St. Patrick Cemetery.