...Corps Sgt. Major, Salvation Army soldier; 85
TEWKSBURY – June Audrey (Blair) Saunders, age 85, a lifelong member of the Salvation Army, died Monday, April 6, 2020 at Blaire House of Tewksbury after a long period of declining health. She was the beloved wife of Norman C. Saunders, who died in 1993.
June was born in Cambridge one of seven children of the late James and Helen Blair and raised in Cambridge. She was active with the Salvation Army her entire life, and with the Lowell Corp since 1966, and held the rank of Corps Sgt. Major on her retirement. In addition to her duty to the Army, and her tasks as a mother and wife, she worked as a sales clerk at Billerica K-Mart.
She leaves two sons, Norman Saunders Jr and his wife Regina (Benoit) of Hollis, NH, and Charles Saunders and his wife Barbara (Jensen) of Tewksbury, with whom she resided; a son-in-law, Bernie Austin of NJ, who was husband to June’s daughter, the late Carol A. Austin; two sisters, Lillian Proulx of Tewksbury and Jean Graham of Sacramento, CA; a brother, James Blair and his wife Debbie of Rancho Linda, CA; a brother-in-law, Raymond Calderman of TX; and was predeceased by her siblings, Betty Warman, Marjorie Calderman, and Maj. E. Louise Blair. She was a devoted grandmother to Kristin, Lindsey and Zachary Saunders and the late Jonathan Benoit. She cherished spending time with her great grandchildren, Ceilidh and Piper Saunders.
June’s family is forever grateful for the friendship, compassion and loving care provided to June in her later years by the Blaire House where she lived out her final days.
Due to the Covid-19 Virus emergency, her burial in Tewksbury Cemetery will be private. A “Celebration Of Life” will be announced when the crisis has passed. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Blaire House Adult Day Program, 10 Erlin Terrace, Tewksbury MA 01876 would be appreciated. visit: tewksburyfuneralhome.com