It is with broken hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and aunt; June Marie Lewis, who passed in the Cape Breton Regional Hospital surrounded by her loved ones, on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at 78 years of age.
June was born in Portland, Maine to the late Benjamin and Helen (nee Marshall) Lafford. She was a strong and courageous woman of great faith and positivity. She was a residential school survivor, a proud member of the Mi'kmaq community and an advocate who worked tirelessly to better her community and the lives of those in it.
She graduated with her BEd at St. FX University and was a teacher at various schools such as EEMS school Eskasoni, a Culture Migrant School, Maine and St Anthony Daniels school, Sydney. She loved working with children as Director of Eskasoni’s Aboriginal Head Start Program up until her retirement. One of her greatest joys was also the time she was able to spend with her own children and later grandchildren. She was also a hard worker and could out pick anyone in the blueberry fields. Along with being a faithful member of Holy Family Parish, she was also involved with and blessed by the Sisters of St. Martha.
She will be deeply missed by her family, her husband Elmer, her children Linda Denny, Cheryl Denny, Kyle (Rhonda) Denny, Charlotte Denny, Warren Lewis, Jon Lewis and Tara Lewis as well as 35 grandkids, including Derek whom she treated like a son, numerous great grandkids and siblings Andrew Lafford (Nora), Doris Dawson (Keith), John Lafford, Benjamin Lafford jr., Harry Lafford and Roger Lafford. She is also survived by her godchildren: Sharon Denny, Natalie Denny, Kim Gould, Tonia Sylliboy, Chastity Jeddore, Kraig Dawson, Roger "Gemini" Prosper, Devin Bastos and friends Gibbet, Barbara, Sheila, and Kiknu best friend Lillian and all her sisters-in-law & brothers-in-law.
Besides her parents, June was predeceased by her first husband Richard Joseph Denny, siblings Levi and Lloyd Lafford, grandchildren Autumn Wind Denny, Simon Richard Denny and goddaughter Sherise Paul-Gould.
Visitation will take place at her home, 90 George Street, Eskasoni starting at 7pm on Sunday. April 27th with a funeral mass at Holy Family Parish, 50 Gabriel St., Eskasoni on Tuesday, April 29 at 10:30am with Fr. Antolin Asor and Salite to follow. Cremation to follow. Memories and condolences can be shared with the family by visiting twcurry.com.
