June Ann (Foss) Waalen, beloved child of God, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died Monday, November 5, 2018, at the age of 89.  

She was born on April 18, 1929 in Alden Township to parents Alma T. (Larson) and Ernest M. Foss.  She grew up on a farm in Nye, Wis. as the oldest of six children.  She graduated from Osceola High School in 1947 and received a teaching degree from Polk County Normal School in 1949.  She represented Osceola as Fire Queen at the St. Paul Winter Carnival in 1948.  She began her teaching career in a one-room school at High Bridge and continued teaching first grade in Amery schools until 1955.  She married Donald Waalen of Amery in 1951.  After living in several other Wisconsin communities including Wandroos and River Falls, they settled in Hudson in 1963 where raised their family of three girls.  June returned to teaching as a teacher’s aide for Hudson Public Schools for 25 years.

June was an active member of Bethel Lutheran Church in Hudson, serving as long-time Sunday School teacher, volunteer for many church activities, and the first woman elected to the church council.  June and her husband Don could be seen at many athletic and civic events throughout their 55 years in Hudson.  They enjoyed the company of many dear friends and loved to travel, with trips extending throughout the US and Europe, including several pilgrimages to Norway.  June was proud of her Norwegian heritage and enjoyed needlework, knitting and hardanger. 

June would most want to be remembered for her love of her husband and family and her strong Christian faith.  She was always a teacher at heart.

She is survived by her husband Don, daughters MaryAnn Anderson (Loren) of Minneapolis, Jill Waalen (Douglas Schulz) of San Diego, Calif., and Karen Breitnauer (Douglas) of Verona, Wis.; grandchildren Maren (Elliott) Johnson, Siri Flores, Andrew Schulz, and Brianna, Wyatt, Shelby and Emilie Breitnauer; and great-grandson Nels Johnson.  She is also survived by her sister Betty Bliese (Dale), brothers Earl Foss and Roy Foss (Bev), sisters-in-law Sylvia Waalen and Mabel Waalen; and many dear nieces and nephews.

In honor of June, a visitation will be held on Thursday, November 8, 2018 from 5-7 pm at the O’Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson.  A funeral service will take place on Friday, November 9, 2018, at Bethel Lutheran Church Downtown Campus at 11 am, preceded by a visitation at 10 am.  A lunch will follow the service. Interment will be in the Bethel Columbarium.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Education Foundation of Hudson or Bethel Lutheran Church.