Marilyn June Wilson

Marilyn Wilson, known to most as Miss June, of Denison, Texas passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2020 at the age of 83. Miss June was born March 23, 1937. She is preceded in death by her father, Charles Wilson, her mother Opal Wilson, and her sister Jane.

Miss June was born and reared in Denison, Texas. She began dancing at age six under the late Mildred Chaffin. When she was eight, she saw her first professional ballet company, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo featuring Alexandra Danilova dancing the full length Swan Lake. Miss June vowed that someday she too would be a ballerina. Her dreams began to blossom when, in her junior year of high school, she was awarded a scholarship from the Denison Business and Professional Women’s organization for a full summer in New York City at the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. In her senior year, she received one of the first Alexandra Danilova Scholarship awards for a full year’s training at the School of American Ballet. She assisted Ms. Danilova in lecture demonstrations in New York City and developed a ballet lecture to be incorporated into schools and civic functions. Before her scholarship was up, she auditioned and was accepted as a member of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo.

After joining The Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo, she toured the United States and Canada as a soloist with the company. She then joined The Robert Joffrey Ballet and toured Europe, the Near East, and South Asia. Finally, she made an extensive tour of the USSR with The Harkness Ballet Company.

Over the years, she performed for presidents, kings and celebrities. She danced at the White House under the Kennedy and Johnson administrations and performed at the United Nations for the General Assembly. She also danced at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City for the Imperial Ball – “A Night in Monte Carlo” featuring Grace Kelly. National television credits include appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Bell Telephone Hour, Voice of Firestone, and the Arlene Frances Home Show. She was featured in many magazine articles including Time magazine, Look magazine, and TV Guide. After returning to Texas, she was a guest soloist with the Dallas Civic Opera’s “THAIS” and acted as ballet mistress and artistic director of The Dallas Ballet Theatre for two seasons.

Her biggest impact was in Sherman and Denison. As an instructor at Austin College under their continuing education program, she staged the full-length ballets “Giselle” and Coppelia.” She opened her own independent studio in 1976 and a second studio in 1991. Through these outlets, she taught hundreds of children and young adults about the hard work and discipline that earned her way around the world.

She will forever be remembered for her distinctive grace and unmatched beauty.

Donations can be made to Bratcher Funeral Home for a dancing scholarship (to be determined) in her honor.

For more information on her life and career, you can visit Miss June Dancing on Facebook or www.facebook.com/groups/missjune.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.bratcherfuneralhome.com for the Wilson family.