OBITUARY Sarah June Barelli June 1, 1921 – December 5, 2018 Mrs. Sarah “June” Barelli, formerly of Mission Hills, Kansas, has passed away on Dec. 5, 2018, aged 97 years. June was born June 1, 1921, and raised in Coffeyville, Kansas.
She attended Coffeyville Junior College, the University of Kansas at Lawrence, and the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Mrs. Barelli’s parents were John (Jno. ) Paulk (1890–1991) and Viola Wolford Paulk (1897–1985), of Coffeyville, Kansas.
She had survived all three of her siblings: Ila; Selda; and John. June always wanted to be a mother and homemaker. While at KU during WW II she met her husband, “Patsy” Barelli, who was best friends with her sister Selda’s future husband, Al Grauerholz.
June and her husband, Pat A. Barelli, M.D., an ear, nose, and throat specialist of international fame, were married for more than sixty-eight years before his death in 2011. She was devoted to Pat, and they were full partners in every aspect of their lives together. June Barelli was grandmother of twelve, with eight step-grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.
June was an exemplary wife, mother, and homemaker. She was renowned as a gracious hostess, and was a seamstress par excellence. She gladly shared memories from her years of travelling the world with her husband and young children in the post-War decades.
In Kansas City, June served many years as grand hostess for the American Rhinologic Society. She assisted her husband with many medical courses and seminars given by that society the whole world over. June served as PTA President, Sanford B. Ladd School, Kansas City, Missouri; President, Kansas City Metropolitan Medical Auxiliary Board; Auxiliary President of the Trinity Lutheran Hospital; President of St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Auxiliary; and President of the Jackson County Medical Society.
She was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.), Shawnee Mission Chapter, 6-054-KS. June’s hobbies included: professional whistling in radio duets with her sister Selda; playing the cello; world travel; cooking; baking; sewing and needlepoint; genealogy; the reading of early American and English history; and public speaking. June was predeceased by her parents, John and Viola, of Coffeyville KS; her sisters Ila Paulk Schmidt, of Wichita KS (and spouse Claude Schmidt, M.D.), and Selda Paulk Grauerholz (and spouse Alvin F. Grauerholz Esq.
), of Coffeyville; and their brother John Eldon Paulk, USN (Ret. ), late of Seabeck WA. John Eldon’s spouse Elinor survives.
June wanted everyone to know that she lived a wonderful and blesséd life. Everyone who was gifted to know her remembers what an unendingly reful, energetic, loving and encouraging woman she was – a force of Nature, to whom few others may be compared. With her emotional strength and morale, her keen eye and mind, and her active, pragmatic, and indefatigable presence, June Barelli was a fountain of life-force whose absence will be keenly felt, and she will be missed by many.
June and Pat are survived by their five children: Anthony E. Barelli, M.D. (Arla Genstler, M.D.), Topeka, KS; John P. Barelli, J.D. (Mary Jean), Phoenix, AZ; Thomas P. Barelli (Nusra), Brinnon, WA; Michael A. Barelli (Randee), Independence, MO; and Janet Sue Barelli, (Craig Gustafson), Kansas City, MO. The family very especially offer our thanks to the many Caregivers whose kind and faithful service afforded June so much comfort in these closing months. Visitation will be at McGilley State Line Chapel at 123rd St and State Line Road, Kansas City MO, on Sunday, Dec.
9, from 3:00 to 6:00 P.M. Burial will occur on Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 2:00 P.M., at Resurrection Catholic Cemetery, 83rd St. & Quivira Road, Lenexa, KS.
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