 Remembering
June Goodnow
June Goodnow, mother, artist, world
traveler, friend, passed away August 19, 2010. Her
daughter, Robin, announced the passing to fellow
NIADA member, Annie Wahl, who alerted the  membership
at large. Although June's distinctive artistry resides
in major galleries and in private collections throughout
the world, her legacy is about friendship, collaboration,
and a truly genuine spirit.
When we were researching the artists'
bios for the NIADA book project, June sent us this
lovely letter telling her story in her own words.
Thought I'd share it in her memory.
~ Shelley Thornton
*************************************************
Dear Shelley:
Writing this 'bio' is harder to do than I thought
it would be.
You may have to edit a lot out of
it. I am going to try to make it simple and not
too frilly.
Born, 1938 in an old pickup truck,
on the side of the road near Karnes City, Texas.
No doctor in attendance, no money to pay for one.
I eventually got a real birth certificate, but
they listed me as 'male', and I could have been
drafted back during the Viet Nam war if my name
and age had ever come up. I was a 'boy' until my
uncle went with me to the Austin State Capitol
to 'verify' that I was indeed a 'girl'. I suspect
the old doc was drunk when he made out the certificate.
My young mother and dad were on
their way down to south Texas to work in the onion
harvest, but my dear little Mom just couldn't wait
until we got to our destination. Yes, back then,
without a decent education, work was hard to find,
but bless their hearts, my parents both were hard
workers, and we never went hungary. I was their
first born, of 5 daughters and 1 son. I was 19
when the boy was born. My poor mother worked in
the fields up until the day he was born. I was
determined to try to get a better education than
my parents, (3rd grade for them... and 12 grades
for me.)
 My
mother was really an 'Earth Mother' if there was
ever such a thing. She could take anything and
make a meal of it. If we had no meat for the stew
pot, she would take dad's 22 rifle, and go out
into the woods, and shoot either a rabbit, or squirrel,
or quail, or whatever came across her line of fire.
She picked wild poke salat, (something like spinach).
for some green food. She always had a big garden,
and was forever canning food to last the winter
months. We lived near the Washita River, which
was FULL of carp and catfish. And she LOVED to
go fishing. We had a little brown Swiss cow, that
gave lots of milk, which was loaded with heavy
cream. She got spending money by making butter,
and selling it to the 'townies'. Same deal with
chicken and eggs. It was a rare treat to have roast
chicken for a Sunday meal. It was always the old
hens that had stopped laying eggs. Tough, but filling,
especially with dumplings.
Eventually, we moved to Central
California, hoping to find work. I got a job at
the Swanson TV dinner factory, and my 'job' was
to stand near the conveyer belt, and cut the back
ends out of the turkey carcasses. What a tedious
job. Then, wonder of wonders, I got a job as a
long distance telephone operator. I took the night
shift, which was not very busy, and I could eavesdrop
on the strangest conversations. This was before
the 'coming out' of gays, so you can bet I got
an earful. But, being a naive farmers daughter,
I didn't have a clue what they were talking about.
I met my husband in California.
Bob Goodnow was a died in the wool, South Dakota
farm boy. He hated California. He was used to neighborly,
friendly and trustful people. His opinion of California
was that it was filled with fruits and nuts. (smile)
Eventually, his grandfather died, leaving a bit
of money to Bob's mother, and she used the money
to buy a farm (in SD), .... for Bob to farm for
her. It didn't take long before we realized that
one quarter mile farm would not support 2 families.
So we bought her out, making payments to her until
we got it paid off. Meanwhile, I learned to 'sculpt'.
 One
Sunday afternoon, Bob's elderly uncle Whit was
sitting across the table from me and I had a block
of my daughters 'play dough' clay. With only my
fingers and the back of a fingernail clippers tool,
I sculpted uncle Whit's likeness in clay. It really
DID look like him. I was startled, amazed when
I saw what I had done. But, now what to do with
it. I didn't want to squish it up. I wanted to
save it. But how? I went to the library, searching
for books on mold making. No luck. I asked the
librarian if she could help me find out how to
make a mold. She put in a plea to the state of
South Dakota Library system, for any books about
moldmaking. Little by little, I learned. The hard
way. Trial and error. Mostly error.
In South Dakota, there is a large
Native American Indian population, and for some
reason, their facial expressions intrigued me.
I ordered more books, with the topic about Indians.
We are talking years here people. I had a baby
girl to tend, and farm animals to tend. Meals to
make for seasonal harvesters, hay to help put into
the barn, and 101 other things that go with running
a farm. Not a lot of time to practice sculpting
or mold making.
 One
day, I heard about a doll museum in Sioux Falls.
I sincerely wanted to go there to take some pictures
of old costumes. And, wonder of wonders, there
I met a doll collector. I about fell over, learning
there were people who actually PAID for hand made
dolls. In fact, the museum person invited me to
attend a UFDC Regional, which was being held in
Lincoln, Nebraska. She said it would not cost me
much, as she intended to go anyway, and I could
room with her. (Remember, dry land farmers are
usually penniless), and worse, my husband considered
my doll making as 'foolishness'. But, I persevered,
and attended as many UFDC shows as possible. I
would take my poor little daughter with me... make
a bed under the sales table so I could watch her
and tend my booth together. I tried to keep her
entertained with crayons, and toys. She was a good
little trooper.
At one of the shows, (it may have
been Omaha,) I entered a few of my pieces in some
of the competition categories. I wanted my work
to be seen by any and all UFDC members attending.
Eventually, I met my mentor, Hilda Geuther, who
had a little doll museum in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
She collected 'Indian dolls', so every Indian doll
I would make, she would buy it from me. She became
my critique, and counselor. She was very kind to
me. She and her husband Milt were both rooting
for me. They are both 'at rest', and their June
Goodnow collection is now owned by their daughter.
The only other person who has more of my dolls
than Geuthers' daughter, is MY daughter, Robin
Strand.
I began making dolls in 1972,
and was voted into NIADA in 1976. It was an honor
then and is STILL an honor to be a member of such
a group of fine artists. In 2002, I was on the
verge of semi retirement, when I found a 'lump'
in my left breast. Yes, it was malignant and had
to be removed, and I had to have radiation. I put
my OKCY home up for sale and bought a tiny recreation
vehicle to run around in. I wanted to see some
of this beautiful country before the cancer came
back. And come back it did in 2003. This time,
on my spine.More surgery and more radiation. In
2004, it came back again right under my belly button.
No radiation this time though. I sold my little
RV, and moved into a 2 bedroom apartment in a retirement
community. This community is very near a nursing
home with individual assisted living apartments,
with nursing facilities. There is also a church
close by, and a cemetery only 1/2 mile from the
church. I have my will made out, and am still making
my amends and if I have hurt you in any way, I
apologize NOW.
 After
the first bout of cancer, radiation and follow
up treatment, I gave up making dolls, and traveling
to teach sculpting seminars. I am pretty much a
'stay at home' person these days, baking bread
and cinnamon rolls and cookies for those in worse
shape (health-wise) than I am. I enjoy remembering
each person's birthday, and the old men usually
get a box of microwave popcorn, and the old women
get a sack of peanut butter cookies. It is amazing
how a card and box of goodies can bring the biggest
smile to a wrinkled old face. I have a little garden,
and raise okra and black-eyed peas and tomatoes.
People donate quilt scraps to me and I make lap
robes for the patients living at the nursing home.
Just the right size to cover little skinny legs
to keep them warm in the winter time.
My wish is that NIADA continues
their high standards for membership and that we
'grow' and prosper and have fun doing it. And most
of all, let's be kind to one another.
Sincerely,
June Goodnow
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Personal Memories
Her friend, Juanita Zientara, said, "In
my opinion, her works represent the best of NIADA
with distinction." During an interview in 2009, June spoke of a slight change in focus.
"I don't make dolls anymore. I bake and give away the goodies and sew lap robes for the people at the nearby nursing home." She asked that anything written about her end with a clear message, "Do
not delay medical checkups."
~ Barbara Campbell
June Goodnow was a member of NIADA
since 1976. Although she had no formal training,
June inadvertently discovered that she
had a natural talent for artistic interpretation.
One day back in 1972, in an effort to entertain her
small daughter, June began to shape and model a piece
of play clay. After a while, the clay took on the
likeness of an elderly uncle who was visiting. While
she was both surprised and delighted, she had no
idea how this unlikely event was about to change
the direction of her life.
In 1972, she lived in rural South
Dakota, where finding classes to learn doll and mold
making, casting, china painting, porcelain work,
etc., was next to impossible. So, she did the next
best thing. During the next few years, she experimented
on her own, using the trial and error method and
soon mastered the technique and perfected her own
style. She then began to enter her work in local
shows and at the annual UFDC (United Federation of
Doll Collectors) conferences in various competition
categories. Her exceptional artistry won her many
blue ribbons. This in turn, gained her the attention
of the members of NIADA, and in 1976, she was voted
in as an artist member.
For many years, June specialized in
portrait dolls of Native American people, doing personalities
from various tribes. Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta
of the Ute tribe; Sitting Bull and Red Cloud of the
Sioux; Sequoia of the Cherokee and many others. These
early works were done in porcelain or low fire bisque.
In 1984, June discovered the magic of polymer clay.
On a trip to Germany, she found FIMO in a craft shop,
and started experimenting with it.
 Cyberspace
was a boon to June's ability to reach far and wide
to her target audience. She loved having one of the
first doll artist web sites, and having e-mail. She
traveled all over the world to teach doll sculpting,
silicone mold making and resin casting via contacts
she made on the internet. In 1995, June was invited
to teach in Australia and New Zealand. She set up
the entire series of classes -- four in Australia
and one in New Zealand -- via e-mail. June was a
most beloved Doll Artist who enjoyed sharing her
knowledge and skill with others so generously. It
was an honor to call her one of my best friends.
I will truly miss her.
~ Dolores Hannan
June Goodnow was my friend and
a mentor. About thirty years ago, I spotted an
article on a beautiful doll, "Eyes That Shine" in
the Doll Reader. June and Elizabeth Brandon created
this breathtaking piece with Elizabeth sculpting
the multi-jointed Indian maiden and June stitching
her intricately beaded native costume. The world
of dolls was so new to me. I didn't know her at
all, neither did I even understand what NIADA was.
But I had lived on the Navajo reservation for a
while and was smitten. I wrote to June hoping to
view just one of the few pieces in the edition.
She very kindly wrote back immediately. Correspondence
continued and within a few months she was staying
with my young family doing research on Native American
costumes at the Smithsonian!
 This
wonderful visit led to a warm friendship and eventually
to her sponsoring my membership as a Patron in
NIADA. For years she would drop a note now and
then sharing news of her daughter Robin who she
cherished, her art, and of life in South Dakota.
As time went by June took on life's challenges
with a sense of adventure and possibility. After
a period living overseas, she eventually found
her way home ... to the red Oklahoma soil. Even
though our letters were fewer and farther between
as years went by, we stayed in touch. Each letter
... and yes, email ... was full of the same love
and joy. Today my family has these letters, her
dolls and fond memories of this kind and good woman.
~ Juanita Zientara
June lived very comfortably in her
own skin. She was a Wise Woman, in the truest sense
of the word. We have lost a dear friend with a unique
artistic "voice." May she rest in peace.
~ Barbara Hilliker
Very sad...June was very special and
dear to me. She had such a sweet countenance... always.
She never let the petty squabbles and ego battles
of other dollmakers touch or bother her. She just
concentrated on what made her happy and what completed
her.
~ Bill Nelson
What I remember most of June was her
sense of humor, she seemed to enjoy her characters
and the reactions they created, you could not help
but join in the fun. One of my favorites is "Coq
Au Vin", a chicken-man with a bottle of
wine, he always brings a smile to my face, a warmth
in my heart and I think of June with that mischievous
smile.
~ Chris Chomick
June was the first one to congratulate
me when I became a NIADA member in 1999. I will
never forget this. She was warm and kind and it
meant a lot to me. She will always be an example
for me to make new members feel at home in NIADA.
~ Marlaine Verhelst
June's passing is a great loss
for us all ... but through her art and dolls we
can forever be close to and remember well her humor,
charm, caring nature, sharing, nurturing and teachings
... She gave so much to so many ... Forever in
Our Hearts.
~ Jodi and Richard Creager
Thanks so much to Annie, for
sharing this sad news, and the very fitting remembrance
from Bill Nelson. Bill captured some of what I
remember about June as well; her beautiful, down
to earth yet twinkling spirit, how she quietly
yet with purpose created the beauty she saw.
Funny thing is, just the day before
Annie's announcement, I'd been in a reverie admiring
a wonderful old woman June made (and named), "Gathering
Hedgehogs", which I bought from her during the NIADA
Chicago convention in the '90s. As I have done so many
times in the past, found myself marveling and appreciating
both the presence of the character she brought forth
and the detail and craftsmanship employed in doing
so. As always when viewing this figure, I am reminded
of June's warm and embracing spirit when we visited
in her room that afternoon in Chicago.
What a lovely, shining soul
June was, and what a beautiful, enduring legacy
she leaves behind. Deepest condolences to June's
family and all who loved her.
~ Catherine Valentine
I don't know what I can add to her memorial but I just wanted tell someone how I remember June. She was one of the first NIADA Artists I met in person, it was in around 1981 (about 10 years before I became a member) at the UFDC convention is Kansas City. She was friendly and encouraging. I remember the dolls she was making then were wonderful character portraits of Native American women. There was one called "She Smiles", a portly lady with a big toothless grin. It was one of those dolls that steals your heart.
She had such a passion for Native Americans. I admired her adventurous spirit. She traveled to the reservations and communities and participated in the life there. I think she was at ease with people everywhere. Her love for people was apparent in her work. I know June was one NIADA member who did quite a bit of teaching too. I still have the head that my Mom sculpted in one of her sculpting seminars. I'm so glad we got a chance to know her.
~ Dianna Effner
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