Roberta June Rymes

Roberta June Montgomery Rymes passes away peacefully on February 8, 2024 at Parkview Health Care Facility. She was born June 28, 1925 to Francis and Bernice Montgomery in Anaheim, California. During World War II, she worked as a secretary for the Navy Shipyards in Long Beach, California in the recruiting department. She was in high demand and at times, filled in as a secretary to an admiral and in later years, she served as a secretary to principals of schools as well as a Superintendent of schools in several communities. “June” was very musical and played the piano as well as sang. Her favorite music was classical, especially opera, and she sang in many churches as well as community groups and choirs through the years. She married Ivan Rymes on July 8, 1949 and settled with her husband in San Rafael, California until he graduated from San Anselmo Seminary and became a Presbyterian pastor. June traveled with him to congregations in Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma until his retirement. During those years, June had opportunities to speak to church women’s groups as well as participate in other areas of ministry. June had an ability as a great leader and organizer. She served as a coordinator for state committees. For several years, while in Colorado, she was the coordinator of the “Wee Kirk” seminars that served pastors of small congregations over a five state area. She arranged for plenary speakers as well as made certain there were appropriate accommodations for the many pastors and other church leaders who attended these meetings. June loved to travel. It came in the form of camping trips that covered most of the United States. She also traveled to foreign countries such as Israel, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, England as well as other European nations. Two trips that meant the most to her were: a pulpit exchange she and Ivan had over a summer with a pastor and his wife in Scotland and the opportunity to participate with 266 Christians who traveled to the Soviet Union (1984) on a three week peace exchange sponsored by the National Council of Churches hosted by the Russian Orthodox Church. June and her husband, Ivan, moved to Bolivar from Colorado Springs, Colorado, August 1, 2017 to be near their daughter, Suzi Holler, for care as needed as they progressed in age. They were married for seventy years before he passed away in May, 2020. June was an only child who grew up in the Great Depression as well as the Second World War so she was an enthusiastic parent and grandparent, always expressing to her family how blessed she was to have so many offspring! June was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Bernice Montgomery, husband, the Rev. Doctor Ivan Rymes, son, Martin Rymes and grandson, Clalan Rymes. She is survived by her daughter, Suzi (Rymes) Holler and husband, Mike, her son, Stanley Rymes and his wife, Ana, daughter-in-law, Kathy Rymes, seven grandchildren and their spouses and twelve great-grandchildren. A memorial of celebration service for June will be held at Butler Funeral Home on March 2, 2024 at 1:30 p.m.. She is buried at Crestview Memorial Gardens in Bolivar.

Roberta June Rymes

June 28, 1925 - February 8, 2024