It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, June Audrey Whitehead. June passed away peacefully on Monday, June 22, 2026, at the age of 89 in Bradenton, FL.
She was the strong and gentle center of our family; a source of comfort, steadiness, and warmth whose presence made every space feel safer and every day a little brighter.
As we reflect on June’s life, we remember the strength, joy, and love she shared so generously.
June built a life defined by love, devotion and quiet strength. She began her career in insurance before starting her family, and from that moment on she poured her heart into raising her four children with unwavering love. She was the steady, capable center of the household — strong, organized, and endlessly caring. In 1972, she and her husband Bob moved from Ann Arbor, MI to Anna Maria Island, where they created a life full of friendship and community. Together they owned Chick N Joy, a beloved island restaurant where customers quickly became lifelong friends; even twenty years after closing, people still remembered June and Bob with affection. June was very involved in The Church of the Annunciation while they lived on Anna Maria Island. Later, June managed the cafeterias at Anna Maria and Sea Breeze Elementary Schools, a role she filled with the same warmth she brought to her own family. Her granddaughter Nicole attended Sea Breeze, and soon countless students began calling her “Grandma,” drawn to the kindness and comfort she offered so naturally.
June had a gift for bringing beauty into every day. She was always perfectly coordinated; her clothes, shoes, glasses, jewelry, purse, and lipstick all chosen with care, and people recognized her instantly whether she was at home or out in the community. She loved her family deeply and embraced life with a bright, joyful spirit. June had a way of lighting up any room she walked into, her kindness and gentle nature shining just as brightly as her smile. She shared her love of “shopping” with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, turning it into a family tradition filled with laughter and little treasures. Most days she could be found at Bealls Outlet or Dollar Tree, places that brought her simple happiness and a sense of fun. Shopping wasn’t just a pastime for her, it was a joy she loved to share.
June leaves behind a legacy woven from love, strength, beauty, and the countless small moments that made life brighter for everyone around her. She showed us how to find joy in the everyday, how to care deeply, and how to move through the world with kindness and grace. Her presence was a gift; steady, comforting, full of life, and her memory will continue to guide and warm our family for generations.
June is survived by her sisters, Marilyn Maddox (Jim) and Sharon Garrett (Paul). She leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and joy in her children: Kelly Goodwin (Bruce), Robert Whitehead (Cindy), Linda Gaunt (Jay), and Jennifer Kropp. Her strength, beauty, and loving spirit live on through her grandchildren: Christine Ashburn (Courtney), Lori Aleckson (Mike), Brian Goodwin, Kyle Reed (Holly), Michael Whitehead, Megan Whitehead, Dana Hammonds (Will), Nicole Gaunt, and Mike Meyer. Her great grandchildren: Mackenzie Ashburn, Hadley Ashburn, Abby Goodwin, Harley Goodwin, Payton Gibney, Logan Reed, and Taylor Reed, will carry her love and her beautiful spirit throughout their lives.
June was preceded in death by her loving husband of 70 years, Robert Whitehead; her parents, Fred Johnson and Lucille Roark; and her brother, Ron Johnson.
Though our hearts ache with her absence, we are forever grateful for the love she gave so freely and the light she carried into every room. Her spirit lives on in her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, and in all who were lucky enough to know her. We will miss June dearly, and we will carry her love with us always.
Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory,43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.
