June Sessions Harper, 70, of Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida and Southport, North Carolina, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2023, in the company of family members and her four-legged companion, Woody.
June was born in Whiteville, North Carolina on June 19, 1952 to Bobby and Hattie Merle Sessions. She was the oldest of four children.
She graduated from Hallsboro High School and attended Pembroke State University.
During her first marriage to Jerry Lanier she gave birth to her daughter, Julianne. Her second marriage was to Ed Harper of Southport, and the two had a daughter, Morgan.
After her divorce in 1988 from Ed, with whom she remained friends until his death in 2018, June moved to North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and lived there for several years before relocating to Lauderdale by the Sea where she resided for nearly three decades. She loved living there, and worked in retail then real estate property management until 2020.
After June was diagnosed with Stage 4 B-cell non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, she moved to Southport and lived with Morgan while she underwent treatment. It was there that she learned how to live in (and enjoy) the company of indoor pets. She took exercise classes, attended many local events and made new friends, all while keeping in touch with her beloved friends back home in Florida, where she always planned to return after she got well.
There were so many things June enjoyed, a few being: beach music; foreign television shows; going to the movies; dancing (especially shagging); Broadway shows; exercising; traveling; sharing stories; Christmas music and making her holiday casseroles and treats for family and friends; and being “Junebug” in the Sydney’s Space and Woody’s World columns in The State Port Pilot. She was smart, thoughtful, funny, stylish and strong in her convictions. She could light up any room with her presence, and her smile was one in a million.
June fought a hard battle and never once complained, remaining positive until the very end. She was an amazing mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, and overall person who will be missed more than words.
She was predeceased by her parents and her uncle, Jim Sessions.
June is survived by her daughters, Julianne Harper Hollingsworth (Robert) of Burlington, North Carolina, and Morgan Harper of Southport; granddaughter, Sierra Shell (Jonah Freedman) of Raleigh, North Carolina; siblings, Cynthia Hansen (Joe) of Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, Gene Sessions (Julie Blevins) of Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, and Bobby Sessions of Raleigh, North Carolina; her very special niece, Caroline Attmore (Bill) and children Hattie and Hackney of Raleigh, North Carolina; nephew, John Brickhouse (Paige) and children Owen and Austin of Charleston, South Carolina; her aunt, Mary Jane Sessions; cousins, Ricky Sessions (Carol), Lynn Patterson (Ralph) and sons Reggie and Ricky, Stevie Sessions (Dana), and Scott Sessions (Amy) and their children; and too many friends to count.
The family thanks those in the Southport community and those far away who supported June through her courageous fight - the love and kindness are certainly felt.
In accordance with her wishes no service will be held; there will be a casual gathering of family members to sit around and share stories, and just have a good time remembering her.
To honor her, contributions may be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (givenow.lls.org), your local animal rescue, or your local fire department.
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