June Richards

June Elizabeth Richards was born on June 21, 1927, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, the only child of Nellie Josephine Hill. At a very young age, June and her mother relocated to Saginaw, Michigan, uniting in the same neighborhood with June’s aunt, uncle, and cousins. June was raised in Saginaw along with four of her first cousins who became like siblings. In 1945, June graduated from Saginaw Arthur Hill High School where she developed a passion for art and dramatics, served in student government, and earned National Honors.

After high school, June matriculated at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. At Fisk, she furthered her interest in art under the tutelage of Aaron Douglas, the renowned Harlem Renaissance painter – serving as the inspiration of his “Portrait of a Young Student” work which remains part of the university’s private collection to this day. During her sophomore year at Fisk, in 1946, June was initiated into the Pi Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

After two years at Fisk, economic hardship led June to return to Michigan to continue her studies. She ultimately earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Wayne State University in Detroit in 1949. While at Wayne State, June met and then married Frank C. Creft, Sr. who was pursuing a pharmacy degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Their union resulted in the birth of Frank, Jr. in 1950. Tragically, Frank Sr. was killed in an automobile accident in his native North Carolina shortly after the birth of their son.

As a young widow, June initially settled in Monroe, North Carolina, working at and advancing hrough the YMCA organization as a Program Director. Amid the rising civil rights tensions across the South in the mid-1950s, she returned to Wayne State where she earned a Postgraduate Studies degree in Education in 1957 and later a Master’s Degree in Art Education in 1971.

Back in Detroit, June met William (Buddy) Richards, Sr. They would marry on April 21, 1957, and together raise Frank Jr. and later welcome two sons of their own – William Jr. in 1964 and Eric in 1965. June was a dedicated and proud mother of “my three sons,” encouraging them to pursue their educational passions while ensuring they benefit from being exposed to a variety of cultural and historical events that constitute the unique American Experience. There was never a second thought given to taking summer road trips to visit countless cultural, science, and art museums across North America; learning about the history of the U.S. from the Native American and African American/Black perspectives that were not taught in standard American history books; and experiencing the art of the possible when one dares to dream with rewarding visits to places like Cape Canaveral, Walt Disney World, and Kitty Hawk, NC.

For nearly 35 years, June served as an elementary school teacher in the Detroit Public School system, initially as an Art Teacher for 15 years before rotating to a Homeroom Teacher following the system-wide elimination of all Arts, Music, and Cultural curricula in the mid-1970s. In the summers, she often taught Spanish. Throughout her career, June inspired countless students to explore new horizons by encouraging them to discover cultural institutions, by promoting an awareness and a sense of creativity, and by emphasizing the rich Black Heritage of the Americas.

June was also a giving citizen through her engagement and leadership in numerous social and community organizations. She helped raise monies for the United Negro College Fund, the NAACP Scholarship Fund, Sickle Cell Anemia Research and Treatment, and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Several organizations in which she held leadership roles included Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (Chapter President and Secretary); Just Friends, Inc. (Co-Founder and President); Detroit Renaissance Lions Club Auxiliary (Chairperson of multiple committees); Squaws, Inc. (Detroit Chapter Co-Founder, President, and National Committee Chairperson); The Wolverine Bar Association Barristers’ Wives (President); and YMCA (numerous Central and Northern Area U.S. committees).

June loved life and was always on-the-go. Her many years and experiences led to a legion of lifelong friends in Michigan, North Carolina, and across the country. More than anything, she cherished spending time with family and friends, and they likewise relished the company of her enormous personality. Instilled from her upbringing and as evidenced by her vocational choice as an educator, June’s giving spirit and outspoken nature have inspired many -- including students, family members, and close friends -- to believe in and advocate for their own self-worth, accept no limits to their aspirations, and strive the see the good in others. Sincere, funny, and warm-hearted are several of the more frequent words others have used to describe June.

Preceding June in death were her husbands Frank C. Creft, Sr. and William S. Richards, Sr.; her son Frank C. Creft, Jr.; and her first cousins Nellie Irene Sloan, James A. Goines, Jr., Flora L. Welch, and Patrica C. Hale. June is survived by her sons William Richards, Jr. and Eric Richards; daughters-in-law Martha H. Creft and Alicia G. Richards; grandchildren Ashley Creft, Amber Creft, Sara (Gil McDonald) Garcia, and Carlos Garcia; niece Anita (Paul) Holmes; nephews Harold (Barbara) Moss, Daniel Creft, George Creft, Scott (Betsy) Richards, and Thomas (Cecile) Richards; and host of extended family members and dear friends.