Lola was born June Mikich on June 1, 1921 to Joe and Mary Emma Adamson Mikich. She was very sickly as a child and spent a great deal of time in the hospital as a newborn. This proved to be problematic for her birth family, as they already had several other children and weren't willing or able to pay for medical bills or take care of a sick child.
When June was just a couple months old, Joe and Mary agreed to give their youngest daughter to their next-door neighbors, David and Lizzie Channing. Lizzie was never able to have children herself, and local orphanages refused to adopt to the couple because they didn't have much money (Lizzie worked at the Murray Laundry and David worked at a smelter).
Financial difficulties aside, the Channings were thrilled to have a daughter, and thus June Mikich became Lola June Channing. She was absolutely loved to pieces by her new parents, and Lizzie would save up to make sure Lola had many beautiful, velvet dresses to wear.
Lola was plagued by numerous health problems when she was young, including an incident where she was blinded in her left eye after falling out of a swing at age 6, and a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia when she was 4 (as the story goes, her mother was on the phone with the coroner to have him come measure her for a casket when she finally awakened and got better). Her father was at the hospital nearly 24/7, playing games with her to make her feel better.
Despite her illnesses, Lola went on to live a very full and productive life, marrying Francis Wallace Beckstead in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 19, 1940. They had five children together: Lorina Lee in 1940, Laddie Alan in 1943, Francie Lynn in 1949, JuLee Ann in 1951, and Kathy Joan in 1953.
The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1965, where Lola worked at Switzer's, Smith Pipe and Steel Co., and Cutter Air Service before her retirement. Francis passed away in 1988, and Lola moved to Reno, Nevada in 1996 to help take care of her granddaughter. She made frequent trips back to Phoenix to see her son, Alan, and daughter, JuLee, but continued to live in Reno until her death on October 22, 2009, at 8:20 p.m.
Nanny, or just Nan, as her grandchildren called her, was stubborn as a mule and you couldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do. She enjoyed going out to lunch and going on Sunday drives. Her favorite color was emerald green, she loved roses, and she always appreciated the great outdoors.
One of her favorite activities in her later years was sitting in the park and sketching trees (she was a very good artist). Her favorite TV shows were Emeril, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Match Game, and The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Sometimes she'd put up with watching Invader Zim, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog with her granddaughter. She had a fondness for Oriental furniture, paintings, and knick-knacks, and kept a fairly large collection of Buddha statues, which her granddaughter continues to add to.
She also liked going out dancing with her husband and playing cards with the neighbors. She had an old 1980's Oldsmobile she drove nearly everywhere, and a huge collection of clip-on earrings that she was very proud of. She was also a big fan of mystery novels, and some of her favorites were Sherlock Holmes, The Cat Who, and anything by Agatha Christie.
She frequented the Truckee River Bar & Grill and the Dynasty China Bistro in Reno, where all the staff knew her by name. She often picked her granddaughter up from school and would take her to the A&W for root beer floats, where they would feed the seagulls french fries and watch them swarm over the parking lot. She also made the best pancakes and cheesy crackers EVER.
She never forgot a holiday (her favorite was Halloween), and hand-picked cards from her seemingly endless supply to send to her family and friends each year. She frequently wrote to her cousin, Viola.
She could often be found sketching, painting or drawing, and had many little doodles on scraps of paper hidden in drawers or boxes around her house. She was also interested in photography, and had hundreds of pictures of nature and wildlife from around Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. She collected stamps, and kept over a thousand of them from as far back as 1889.
Nan was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, her parents, David and Lizzie Channing, and a grandson, Matthew Ferguson. A son-in-law, Rick Stewart, died of cancer only a few weeks after Nan on November 12, 2009.
Nan is survived by her children: Lorina Lee (Tom) Johnson, Laddie Alan (Judy) Beckstead, Francie Lynn (Tommy Wayne) Ferguson, JuLee Ann (Rick) Stewart, and Kathy Joan (Chip) Montgomery, as well as four grandchildren: Michael Phillip Johnson, Paul David Johnson, Eric Roger Johnson, and Alexandra Channing Montgomery.
When June was just a couple months old, Joe and Mary agreed to give their youngest daughter to their next-door neighbors, David and Lizzie Channing. Lizzie was never able to have children herself, and local orphanages refused to adopt to the couple because they didn't have much money (Lizzie worked at the Murray Laundry and David worked at a smelter).
Financial difficulties aside, the Channings were thrilled to have a daughter, and thus June Mikich became Lola June Channing. She was absolutely loved to pieces by her new parents, and Lizzie would save up to make sure Lola had many beautiful, velvet dresses to wear.
Lola was plagued by numerous health problems when she was young, including an incident where she was blinded in her left eye after falling out of a swing at age 6, and a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia when she was 4 (as the story goes, her mother was on the phone with the coroner to have him come measure her for a casket when she finally awakened and got better). Her father was at the hospital nearly 24/7, playing games with her to make her feel better.
Despite her illnesses, Lola went on to live a very full and productive life, marrying Francis Wallace Beckstead in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 19, 1940. They had five children together: Lorina Lee in 1940, Laddie Alan in 1943, Francie Lynn in 1949, JuLee Ann in 1951, and Kathy Joan in 1953.
The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1965, where Lola worked at Switzer's, Smith Pipe and Steel Co., and Cutter Air Service before her retirement. Francis passed away in 1988, and Lola moved to Reno, Nevada in 1996 to help take care of her granddaughter. She made frequent trips back to Phoenix to see her son, Alan, and daughter, JuLee, but continued to live in Reno until her death on October 22, 2009, at 8:20 p.m.
Nanny, or just Nan, as her grandchildren called her, was stubborn as a mule and you couldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do. She enjoyed going out to lunch and going on Sunday drives. Her favorite color was emerald green, she loved roses, and she always appreciated the great outdoors.
One of her favorite activities in her later years was sitting in the park and sketching trees (she was a very good artist). Her favorite TV shows were Emeril, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Match Game, and The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Sometimes she'd put up with watching Invader Zim, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog with her granddaughter. She had a fondness for Oriental furniture, paintings, and knick-knacks, and kept a fairly large collection of Buddha statues, which her granddaughter continues to add to.
She also liked going out dancing with her husband and playing cards with the neighbors. She had an old 1980's Oldsmobile she drove nearly everywhere, and a huge collection of clip-on earrings that she was very proud of. She was also a big fan of mystery novels, and some of her favorites were Sherlock Holmes, The Cat Who, and anything by Agatha Christie.
She frequented the Truckee River Bar & Grill and the Dynasty China Bistro in Reno, where all the staff knew her by name. She often picked her granddaughter up from school and would take her to the A&W for root beer floats, where they would feed the seagulls french fries and watch them swarm over the parking lot. She also made the best pancakes and cheesy crackers EVER.
She never forgot a holiday (her favorite was Halloween), and hand-picked cards from her seemingly endless supply to send to her family and friends each year. She frequently wrote to her cousin, Viola.
She could often be found sketching, painting or drawing, and had many little doodles on scraps of paper hidden in drawers or boxes around her house. She was also interested in photography, and had hundreds of pictures of nature and wildlife from around Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. She collected stamps, and kept over a thousand of them from as far back as 1889.
Nan was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, her parents, David and Lizzie Channing, and a grandson, Matthew Ferguson. A son-in-law, Rick Stewart, died of cancer only a few weeks after Nan on November 12, 2009.
Nan is survived by her children: Lorina Lee (Tom) Johnson, Laddie Alan (Judy) Beckstead, Francie Lynn (Tommy Wayne) Ferguson, JuLee Ann (Rick) Stewart, and Kathy Joan (Chip) Montgomery, as well as four grandchildren: Michael Phillip Johnson, Paul David Johnson, Eric Roger Johnson, and Alexandra Channing Montgomery.
Lola was born June Mikich on June 1, 1921 to Joe and Mary Emma Adamson Mikich. She was very sickly as a child and spent a great deal of time in the hospital as a newborn. This proved to be problematic for her birth family, as they already had several other children and weren't willing or able to pay for medical bills or take care of a sick child.
When June was just a couple months old, Joe and Mary agreed to give their youngest daughter to their next-door neighbors, David and Lizzie Channing. Lizzie was never able to have children herself, and local orphanages refused to adopt to the couple because they didn't have much money (Lizzie worked at the Murray Laundry and David worked at a smelter).
Financial difficulties aside, the Channings were thrilled to have a daughter, and thus June Mikich became Lola June Channing. She was absolutely loved to pieces by her new parents, and Lizzie would save up to make sure Lola had many beautiful, velvet dresses to wear.
Lola was plagued by numerous health problems when she was young, including an incident where she was blinded in her left eye after falling out of a swing at age 6, and a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia when she was 4 (as the story goes, her mother was on the phone with the coroner to have him come measure her for a casket when she finally awakened and got better). Her father was at the hospital nearly 24/7, playing games with her to make her feel better.
Despite her illnesses, Lola went on to live a very full and productive life, marrying Francis Wallace Beckstead in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 19, 1940. They had five children together: Lorina Lee in 1940, Laddie Alan in 1943, Francie Lynn in 1949, JuLee Ann in 1951, and Kathy Joan in 1953.
The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1965, where Lola worked at Switzer's, Smith Pipe and Steel Co., and Cutter Air Service before her retirement. Francis passed away in 1988, and Lola moved to Reno, Nevada in 1996 to help take care of her granddaughter. She made frequent trips back to Phoenix to see her son, Alan, and daughter, JuLee, but continued to live in Reno until her death on October 22, 2009, at 8:20 p.m.
Nanny, or just Nan, as her grandchildren called her, was stubborn as a mule and you couldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do. She enjoyed going out to lunch and going on Sunday drives. Her favorite color was emerald green, she loved roses, and she always appreciated the great outdoors.
One of her favorite activities in her later years was sitting in the park and sketching trees (she was a very good artist). Her favorite TV shows were Emeril, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Match Game, and The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Sometimes she'd put up with watching Invader Zim, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog with her granddaughter. She had a fondness for Oriental furniture, paintings, and knick-knacks, and kept a fairly large collection of Buddha statues, which her granddaughter continues to add to.
She also liked going out dancing with her husband and playing cards with the neighbors. She had an old 1980's Oldsmobile she drove nearly everywhere, and a huge collection of clip-on earrings that she was very proud of. She was also a big fan of mystery novels, and some of her favorites were Sherlock Holmes, The Cat Who, and anything by Agatha Christie.
She frequented the Truckee River Bar & Grill and the Dynasty China Bistro in Reno, where all the staff knew her by name. She often picked her granddaughter up from school and would take her to the A&W for root beer floats, where they would feed the seagulls french fries and watch them swarm over the parking lot. She also made the best pancakes and cheesy crackers EVER.
She never forgot a holiday (her favorite was Halloween), and hand-picked cards from her seemingly endless supply to send to her family and friends each year. She frequently wrote to her cousin, Viola.
She could often be found sketching, painting or drawing, and had many little doodles on scraps of paper hidden in drawers or boxes around her house. She was also interested in photography, and had hundreds of pictures of nature and wildlife from around Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. She collected stamps, and kept over a thousand of them from as far back as 1889.
Nan was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, her parents, David and Lizzie Channing, and a grandson, Matthew Ferguson. A son-in-law, Rick Stewart, died of cancer only a few weeks after Nan on November 12, 2009.
Nan is survived by her children: Lorina Lee (Tom) Johnson, Laddie Alan (Judy) Beckstead, Francie Lynn (Tommy Wayne) Ferguson, JuLee Ann (Rick) Stewart, and Kathy Joan (Chip) Montgomery, as well as four grandchildren: Michael Phillip Johnson, Paul David Johnson, Eric Roger Johnson, and Alexandra Channing Montgomery.
When June was just a couple months old, Joe and Mary agreed to give their youngest daughter to their next-door neighbors, David and Lizzie Channing. Lizzie was never able to have children herself, and local orphanages refused to adopt to the couple because they didn't have much money (Lizzie worked at the Murray Laundry and David worked at a smelter).
Financial difficulties aside, the Channings were thrilled to have a daughter, and thus June Mikich became Lola June Channing. She was absolutely loved to pieces by her new parents, and Lizzie would save up to make sure Lola had many beautiful, velvet dresses to wear.
Lola was plagued by numerous health problems when she was young, including an incident where she was blinded in her left eye after falling out of a swing at age 6, and a particularly nasty bout of pneumonia when she was 4 (as the story goes, her mother was on the phone with the coroner to have him come measure her for a casket when she finally awakened and got better). Her father was at the hospital nearly 24/7, playing games with her to make her feel better.
Despite her illnesses, Lola went on to live a very full and productive life, marrying Francis Wallace Beckstead in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 19, 1940. They had five children together: Lorina Lee in 1940, Laddie Alan in 1943, Francie Lynn in 1949, JuLee Ann in 1951, and Kathy Joan in 1953.
The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1965, where Lola worked at Switzer's, Smith Pipe and Steel Co., and Cutter Air Service before her retirement. Francis passed away in 1988, and Lola moved to Reno, Nevada in 1996 to help take care of her granddaughter. She made frequent trips back to Phoenix to see her son, Alan, and daughter, JuLee, but continued to live in Reno until her death on October 22, 2009, at 8:20 p.m.
Nanny, or just Nan, as her grandchildren called her, was stubborn as a mule and you couldn't make her do anything she didn't want to do. She enjoyed going out to lunch and going on Sunday drives. Her favorite color was emerald green, she loved roses, and she always appreciated the great outdoors.
One of her favorite activities in her later years was sitting in the park and sketching trees (she was a very good artist). Her favorite TV shows were Emeril, Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Match Game, and The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. Sometimes she'd put up with watching Invader Zim, Ed, Edd n Eddy, and Courage the Cowardly Dog with her granddaughter. She had a fondness for Oriental furniture, paintings, and knick-knacks, and kept a fairly large collection of Buddha statues, which her granddaughter continues to add to.
She also liked going out dancing with her husband and playing cards with the neighbors. She had an old 1980's Oldsmobile she drove nearly everywhere, and a huge collection of clip-on earrings that she was very proud of. She was also a big fan of mystery novels, and some of her favorites were Sherlock Holmes, The Cat Who, and anything by Agatha Christie.
She frequented the Truckee River Bar & Grill and the Dynasty China Bistro in Reno, where all the staff knew her by name. She often picked her granddaughter up from school and would take her to the A&W for root beer floats, where they would feed the seagulls french fries and watch them swarm over the parking lot. She also made the best pancakes and cheesy crackers EVER.
She never forgot a holiday (her favorite was Halloween), and hand-picked cards from her seemingly endless supply to send to her family and friends each year. She frequently wrote to her cousin, Viola.
She could often be found sketching, painting or drawing, and had many little doodles on scraps of paper hidden in drawers or boxes around her house. She was also interested in photography, and had hundreds of pictures of nature and wildlife from around Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. She collected stamps, and kept over a thousand of them from as far back as 1889.
Nan was preceded in death by her husband, Francis, her parents, David and Lizzie Channing, and a grandson, Matthew Ferguson. A son-in-law, Rick Stewart, died of cancer only a few weeks after Nan on November 12, 2009.
Nan is survived by her children: Lorina Lee (Tom) Johnson, Laddie Alan (Judy) Beckstead, Francie Lynn (Tommy Wayne) Ferguson, JuLee Ann (Rick) Stewart, and Kathy Joan (Chip) Montgomery, as well as four grandchildren: Michael Phillip Johnson, Paul David Johnson, Eric Roger Johnson, and Alexandra Channing Montgomery.
