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June Cable

May 27, 1935 ~ February 4, 2021

June Cable

June Winnifred Gibbs was born in Toronto, Ontario. She was expected in June, and so named. June’s life could be measured in three pianos: a childhood piano with accompanist, Petey the canary; another that came over the Chilkoot Pass, which, when played, elicited howls from Casca the Samoyed; and finally, a white baby grand.

June studied nursing at the University of Toronto, where she met Jack Cable. After they married they lived in various places in Ontario before the big adventure of moving to Whitehorse with their young family in 1970.

As a nurse in Ontario, June cared for war veterans who’d been gassed, as well as foster children at the Children’s Aid Society. These experiences, added to her innate sense of empathy, inspired her community activism. In Whitehorse, June met kindred spirits. Together they founded the Victoria Faulkner Women’s Centre, the Mini Bus transit system, and the local chapter of the YWCA. She led Girl Guide camps, was a director for the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Society, played volleyball and bridge, and skied. June reveled in Whitehorse’s 1970s social life, featuring progressive dinners, fancy clothes and Riverdale all-nighters.

A natural storyteller and writer, June’s poetry and stories reveal a creative, intelligent, curious soul. She moved to the west coast of B.C. to complete her master’s and doctoral degrees in Philosophy. With her second husband, Donald Mainwaring, June traveled the world, practiced counseling psychology, and built a beautiful home on Cortes Island featuring Manx cats, archy and mehitabel.

June returned to the Yukon in 2001 to be close to grandchildren. Nana adapted her activities to each of them, storytelling with puppets, creating an illustrated book of adventures, or editing a master’s thesis. June was loving, nurturing and nonjudgmental and always looked for the best in people.

She was the president of the Yukon Storytelling Festival and the Canadian Authors Association. She counseled many people through Nimco and Associates.

June’s legacy includes her children: Sue Edelman (Brian), Jennifer Hull (Gordon), Andrew Cable (Connie), and Dan Cable (Bryna); her grandchildren: Spencer (Rachel), Ariana (Rob), Evelyn, Grace, Michael, Yvonne, Annie and Angus; and great-grandchildren: Tristan, Kayleen, Bridget, Jade and Sierra.

The family thanks Dr. Xiu-Mei Zhang, the staff at Macaulay Lodge, Thomson Centre and Whistle Bend Place, and Reverend Bev Brazier.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 28 at the Whitehorse United Church, available through FaceBook Live. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, only family members may attend the service in person.

Comments (8)
  • 11 February 2021

    To all of June’s family I knew June from volunteering at Macaulay Lodge, Copper Ridge Place and Whistle Bend Place. June was always had a nice smile for everyone she met, she will be missed, R.I.P. June. My thoughts and prayers with you all.

  • 11 February 2021

    To June’s family – my sincere condolences to you all – June was an exceptionally kind, clever and stylish lady who I felt privileged to spend time with.

  • 19 February 2021

    Condolences to June’s family. I first met June in 1970 when she dropped into my kindergarten class which was then offered in the (now torn down) Lutheran church on Tutshi in Riverdale. We and our families became friends until I, with my three children, left the Yukon in 1978 and moved to Calgary. June and I did not stay in touch but she and her young family at the time, will always live in my memories. Special memories about June and Jack’s enthusiasm in supporting mine and Joyce Peschke’s organizing Saturday night volleyball in the lovely Gym left in Whitehorse by the Canadian military. The object was to reduce some people’s proclivity to overdo it at the bars. I also remember our post-volleyball games where we drank herbal tea and played Ouji board. Some who are reading this may remember the night that the cat “meowed” through the heating vents!! Some found it funny others not… Susan, I fondly remember helping you cut your first pattern to sew a dress…
    So delightful to know that June enjoyed multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

    • 3 March 2021

      Thankyou for those memories. We have close friends who live next door to your old house on Aishihik and I think about your family every time we visit them

  • 1 March 2021

    Thank you to June for the hours we spent together and to her family for posting such a lovely obituary. Her life was rich and deep and it was a privilege to be part of it, from our first meeting at the Womenʼs Centre in the 1970s to the many meditation sessions she hosted in her home.
    With love,
    Leslie Hamson

  • 13 March 2021

    I met June when I visited Barry in the hospital. A lovely lovely lady.

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