June Elizabeth Becraft

June Elizabeth Becraft left this life and went into the arms of Jesus on July 21, 2022.    

After a recent visit with her, some family members commented, “What a wife.  What a Mom.”  And her husband, Ed Becraft, added, “What a teacher.”

She was a phenomenal wife, mother, grandmother, and yes… a phenomenal 3rd grade teacher for more than 30 years at Laytonsville Elementary School.  We could often be out in public and someone would come up to us thanking her and saying, “Mrs. Becraft… you were my 3rd grade teacher.”

Mom grew up in deep, southwest Virginia in a little coal-mining community named Appalachia.  Her parents were Benjamin Bentley (Grandaddy) and Leora Bentley (Granny).  She was named by her Dad after June Tolliver in the book Trail of the Lonesome Pine. 

Mom had four brothers: Ben Bentley (wife, Barbara), Jack Bentley (wife, Nancy), Bruce Bentley (wife, Sally), and James Bentley (wife, Evelyn).  Mom’s Dad worked as an engineer on the railroad and she would often tear up as she would tell how she didn’t know how they put all of the children through college.

June is the last of those amazing siblings to leave this life.

She went to Emory & Henry College where she was the drum major and Miss Emory & Henry.  She went on to become a school teacher and started teaching in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  She moved up to Maryland, 450 miles away from small-town Appalachia, and took a job at Clarksburg Elementary School, having been recruited by one of her former high school teachers.  She then moved to Washington Grove Elementary and then over to Laytonsville Elementary School where she spent most of her 30-year teaching career.

Mom was an incredible and highly-respected teacher.  A fellow teacher said of her, “She was like a sister to me.”  She would always give her best for her students and would go the extra mile for each one of them, even if they required extra attention.    

Mom & Dad met on a blind date.  Henry Miles, a friend of Dad’s, had invited Mom’s roommate on a date and she would only go if her roommate had a date.  Dad was working and still living with his parents at the time and was so exhausted from work that day, that he told his parents nothing could get him off the couch that night.  Enter Henry Miles who tells Dad he has 8 minutes to get ready.  Dad responds, “Well, Henry, if it means that much to you…”

And as they say, the rest is history.  Mom & Dad have been married for 68 years and have been a living example of real love to all who know them.  They were married on June 5th, 1954.  Dad has often said, “It must have been the Lord Himself who brought us together.”

As a Mom, she would work all day long investing in the lives of young children, and then she would be spending evenings hauling her two sons (Ed & Jeff) to various sporting events and investing in their lives… to which we are extremely grateful.  She was the greatest Mom that anyone could ask for.  There was never a doubt that we felt loved.    

Mom, who was called Bubbe by the grandchildren, adored her family and especially the grandkids.  Bubbe was always eager to support and serve them (and their parents!) in all their activities.  As one grandchild commented, “She was our #1 fan.”  She meticulously went out of her way to make sure preparations were in place before family would arrive including drumstick ice cream cones, chocolate chip cookies, and chex mix in an orange container.  Bubbe lit up when she would meet one of her great-grandchildren.    

Mrs. June Becraft is married to her husband, C. Edwin Becraft (various people also called him Buddy or Bones), mother of Ed Becraft, Jr., M.D. (wife, Sue, and children, Ben and Sam) and Jeff Becraft (wife, Brenda, and children, Josiah, Corrie, and Hannah).  She is the grandmother (Bubbe) of the five grandchildren who were just listed and the great-grandmother of James, Henry, and Luke (children of Ben & Casey Becraft), and Eleanor and Emerson (children of Josiah & Deanna Becraft), and Levi (child of Ben & Corrie Chambers)… with another one on the way.  She dearly loved her family and made many sacrifices for them.

She had heroically faced alzheimer’s for 14 years and was 93 years old.

June Elizabeth Becraft was an amazing person: a loving wife and mom, a fantastic grandmother, and an extraordinary teacher.  She is dearly loved and will be greatly missed.   

A service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, July 30 at Epworth United Methodist Church facility, 9008 Rosemont Dr., Gaithersburg, MD 20877.  Visitation is at 1:30 p.m.  The celebration of her life service will be at 2:00 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Epworth United Methodist Church (https://www.epworthunited.org/).    

If you wish to watch the service live through zoom, the link is:   http://us02web.zoom.us/j/756284167?pwd=SkMvditiVEV0QkFDMmNrd2Nja0t0dz09

Or to listen from your telephone (landline or mobile), please dial 1-646-558-8656 

and enter Meeting ID 756 284 167 and Password 20877 when prompted

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of June Elizabeth Becraft, please visit our floral store.