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June (Canavan) Szalkowski, of Catonsville, Maryland formerly of Union, NJ, passed away peacefully on June 2nd, 2023, just three days short of her 93rd birthday. She was born in Floral Park, NY to Francis and Dorothy Canavan. After growing up in Floral Park with her brother Robert and sister Eileen, she enrolled in a nursing certification program at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark N.J. While working as a nurse, she met her future husband, Arthur Szalkowski and they were married in 1951.
June worked most of her nursing career at Roberto Clemente Elementary School in Newark, NJ, and was justifiably proud of her many years of service to the community. Balancing a busy nursing career and raising three boys, June somehow found time to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing from Jersey City State College (now New Jersey City University).
June loved her husband and family. She particularly enjoyed the many camping trips the family took over the years to places ranging from Canada to Florida and nearly every state in between. After her boys were grown, June enjoyed traveling with her husband Art.
June loved all animals, but particularly dogs. She had many canine companions over the years but was especially fond of her three English mastiffs. Through raising and training the dogs and participating in dog shows around the east coast, June and Art developed lasting friendships with many fellow dog owners.
June was an avid bird watcher and kept a pair of binoculars near her chair to observe the birds that visited the feeders she kept in her yard. One summer, June rescued and successfully raised an abandoned sparrow hatchling. After releasing her charge to the wild, the fully grown sparrow would visit June in the yard, landing on her shoulder.
Throughout her life, June was an insatiable reader. June’s interest in history and her excellent memory made her a formidable competitor at trivia contests. June also enjoyed crossword puzzles, crypto-quotes, and almost any other puzzle you were likely to find in a newspaper.
June loved to travel. After her boys were grown, she and Art continued to enjoy travel, taking trips to Disney world and cruises to destinations such as Alaska and Canada.
After 57 happy years of marriage, her beloved Art passed away. June moved from Union to a retirement community in Catonsville, Maryland. There, she enjoyed an independent lifestyle, enjoying many friends, activities and continued travel. June visited many places, but most enjoyed reminiscing about her trip to Africa. During these years, June became interested in physical fitness and spent many happy hours walking and working out in the gym.
June is preceded in death by her husband Art and her youngest son, Mark. She leaves behind her two surviving sons, Arthur and Christopher, as well as her sister Eileen. June has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. We grieve her loss but are comforted to know she is reunited in God’s loving care with her beloved husband Art and her son Mark.
