Obituary of June-Lee Haertel
June-Lee (Woodcock) Haertel, age 94, of Wisconsin Rapids, passed away peacefully with her daughter at her side on Monday, October 27, 2014, at Arborwood Lodge Assisted Living in Wisconsin Rapids.
Funeral services will be at 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, November 4, 2014 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Wisconsin Rapids. Burial will be at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Wisconsin Rapids. Visitation will be held Monday, November 3, 2014 at Herman-Taylor Funeral Home from 4:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. and Tuesday at 9:00 A.M. until the time of service at the church.
June-Lee was born August 14, 1920 in Morristown, New Jersey to Harold and Julia (Merkel) Woodcock.
She began the study of ballet at the age of five and in high school she commuted to New York City for lessons. After graduation from Morristown High School she studied and performed with the Russian Opera Ballet Company in New York. She also competed in exhibition ballroom dance until tragedy struck when her partner dropped her resulting in broken bones.
The mishap caused a career change into merchandising. She worked at Macy's Department store in New York City and was in the managerial program.
June-Lee moved to Wisconsin Rapids during World War II after marrying her first husband Jonathan Clement in 1943. He was stationed at what is now Alexander Field. They had one daughter, Cynthia (Ronald) Clement Haas.
In Wisconsin Rapids June-Lee worked at J.C. Penney in the woman's dress department, Montgomery Ward in the mail order catalog department and Johnson Hill's in the drapery department. She designed and oversaw the construction of window treatments.
On December 3, 1949 June-Lee married Harold W. Haertel. He died on April 18, 1987; they were married for 38 years.
In September of 1951 June-Lee began the June-Lee Haertel Ballet School at the Odd Fellows Hall in Wisconsin Rapids. In 1953 June-Lee and Harold opened the ballet studio on East Grand Avenue where she taught until 1967. For 17 years the ballet school enrolled about 300 students per year.
Her ballet recitals were renowned. The first part of the recital was June-Lee's original choreography that focused on a theme such as perfumes, See the USA, or Wonderful Wisconsin. The second half of the performance was a complete traditional ballet such as Coppelia, Cinderella, Swan Lake or The Nutcracker. June-Lee designed all of the costumes, selected the fabrics, and wrote the sewing instructions for each of her student's costumes.
Approximately a dozen of her students danced professionally and two of them own ballet schools today.
For over 10 years June-Lee volunteered to teach Girl Scouts ballroom dance so that they could earn their dance badges. For many years she was an active member of the Cramboree Committee.
After retiring from her ballet school in 1967 she and Harold worked in the family owned business of Haertel Monuments. When Harold died in 1987 June-Lee became the business manager and the sales representative in the Wisconsin Rapids office of Haertel Monuments until 1999.
Also, June -Lee was the president of Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery from 1987-1999.
She then went on to drive for Meals on Wheels and was an active member in the Riverview Hospital Auxiliary. She has been a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church since 1949.
June-Lee and Harold traveled to 48 states. She traveled Europe extensively from 1988 to 2000.Her last trip was to Alaska in 2002.
Throughout the years her pastimes were gardening, fishing, canning, sewing and knitting.
For over 70 years June-Lee loved her adopted Wisconsin Rapids and all of its citizens. She enjoyed telling about its people and the contributions that they made for the betterment of the city.
June-Lee is survived by her daughter Cynthia (Ronald) Haas of St. Clair Shores, MI; three step-sons: Harris Haertel of Seattle, WA; Richard Haertel of Livonia, MI, and John (Edna) Haertel of Vancouver, British Columbia; three grandchildren: John Haas, Kristina (Brady) Smekens , Laura Comilla; six great grandchildren: Lina Haas, Sophia, Andrew and Sydney Smekens, Grace and Alida Comilla; eight step-grandchildren; thirteen great step-grandchildren and five great great step-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold Haertel, brother-in-law George Haertel, and sister-in-law Irene Haertel.
Her family would like to thank the Arborwood Lodge staff and the Ministry Home Care Hospice staff for their loving care and kindness shown to June-Lee.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Lutheran Church and Ministry Home Care Hospice.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.taylorfuneralhome.net
