Junice "June" Budnik

Junice “June’ Budnik, 86 of Chaska Minn., passed away January 11, 2024 with her family at her side at Waconia Hospital, from surgical complications. June was a great wife, mom, and friend to many.

June was born July 7, 1937 in Manitowoc, to Edgar and Adelhait Maurer. She graduated from Manitowoc Lincoln High School class of 1955. She then received a bachelor degree in education in 1959 from Wisconsin State College in Oshkosh. She married Roger Budnik, also of Manitowoc, on June 25, 1960 when he returned from military service. They spent 58 wonderful years together in Wisconsin (Manitowoc, Brown Deer/Milwaukee, Waupun, Baraboo, and Arbor Vitae) and later Minnesota (Chanhassen, Chaska).

After briefly teaching, June had a son Steven Budnik in 1961. She chose to focus on being a great full-time mom and wife and did not return to teaching full-time. June loved raising her son, participating in the Lioness civic club, playing cards with her Brown Deer “Couples Card Group,” camping trips, home remodeling/decorating, and had many hobbies including reading novels, knitting, macramé, pottery, gardening, and watching game shows. While not her primary passions, she also enjoyed time fishing with Roger and Steve, and rooting for the Packers and Badgers. 

June and Roger bought a lake cabin on Little Spider Lake in Arbor Vitae, in the early 1980s. They later built a year-round lake home and retired there. Many great family outings, campfires, fishing, pontoon rides, and celebrations occurred there. She loved the lake life and made many new friends there. In 2013, they moved to Minnesota to be closer to son Steven.

June is survived by son: Steven Budnik, Chaska, Minn.; brother-in-law: Elwood (Barbara) Budnik of Bellevue, Wash.; and 19 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by parents: Edgar and Adelhait Maurer; husband: Roger; brothers and spouses: Clifford (Delma) Maurer, Charles (Cecelia) Maurer, and Richard (Barbara) Maurer.

Family and friends will have a celebration of June’s life later this year in Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, “In memory of June Budnik.” web-link https://obituaries.neptunesociety.com/obituaries/golden-valley-mn/june-budnik-11627528.