Dream-Hearts: Remembering June

Remembering June...

"There is something good that can be brought from every situation, no matter how frustrating or tragic the circumstances...it is up to you to find the good and focus on it. Optimism is a powerful and fulfilling tool."
— June Hodgson

In 1994, June Hodgson was diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon after, her daughter Billie moved to Texas to be closer to her mother. After completing a difficult round of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, June wanted to find something new and fun to do.

One day, Billie saw an advertisement for a teddy bear class to be given by bear artist Shelly Martinez. Billie encouraged June to attend the class, thinking that June might enjoy it. Little did Billie and June know that making bears would become a such an important part of both their lives. Before long, they had both fallen in love with handmade artist bears.

The first bear that June made resembled Pooky, the teddy bear belonging to Garfield, the cartoon cat. Over the course of the next few years, June made many bears, ranging in height from two inches to three feet, under the name "JuneBearies". June's skill grew, and she even began to design her own bear patterns. June took her bears to a number of bear shows in Texas, and also traveled to bear shows in Oklahoma, Colorado, and Kansas. June's supportive husband, Rich, helped by cutting out the wooden disks used to make joints for the bears and by accompanying her to the bear shows. JuneBearies became well known in the Texas bear-making community.

As much as June enjoyed making bears, she loved giving them to others even more. She loved to see the happiness and love that her bears brought to people's lives. June sold many of her JuneBearies creations, but she gave away many more bears than she ever sold, simply because it made her happy.

In 1998, June's breast cancer reappeared, but this time the cancer was also in her liver. Through the two years that followed, June continued to fight her devastating illness. She also continued making bears, only stopping when she could no longer climb the stairs to her studio. Rich then moved the studio downstairs so that she could keep making bears - something that she greatly enjoyed doing.

June passed away in 2000. Her kind and generous nature brought joy to the lives of many people during her lifetime, and the bears that she created live on.