June Dolores Kosola was born October 4, 1935 in Sturgis, to William (Willie) and Ellen Keller, the oldest of three children. She grew up mostly in Newell. She married Marvin Kosola on May 15, 1952 and shortly thereafter Marvin went overseas to serve in the Korean War. When Marvin went overseas, June lived in Newell with her parents. After Marvin’s discharge from the service, they worked on various farms in the Newell area until Marvin went to work at the Ft, Meade VA Hospital.
June raised four children, Ronald (Lorna) of Gillette, WY, Carol (Myron) of Fairpoint, David (Mary Jo) of Vale, and Rose (Bob) of Newell. She helped with Marvin’s big garden and greenhouse, selling bedding plants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons. June was an adept canner, putting up all kinds of pickles and lots of tomatoes. She also worked a number of part time jobs at various times in Newell, her favorite being as a ‘grandmother helper’ in preschool. June loved company and the coffee was always on! She loved to cook and have relatives and friends in for a big ‘doings’ during holidays. For many years her house was the destination for an evening meal following Newell’s Labor Day rodeo.
June loved going through her numerous cookbooks looking for new recipes to try. A gift of cookbooks were a special treat. Children were a special delight and she had done daycare over the years for different folks, always enjoying caring for and guiding children. In later years she discovered a love of coloring pictures with colored pencils and gave many of the finished products to friends and relatives.
June passed on to her heavenly home May 9, 2025 in Spearfish. She was predeceased by her parents, her loving husband, and her two siblings, Ben and Darlene. June is survived by her four children, twelve grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and two great-great grandchildren, and one sister-in-law, Eleanor Keller. She was well loved and will be greatly missed!
Visitation will be Wednesday, May 14, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Kinkade Funeral Chapel. Funeral services will be Thursday, May 15, 11:00 am at Newell Evangelical Church, Newell, SD. Burial will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery.
Condolences maybe sent to the family at www.kinkadefunerals.com
