Elsie June Kranenburg

June and Leonard Kranenburg, while on a long-desired vacation in Alaska, were victims of a tragic plane accident June 25, 2015. They are missed beyond words by their family.
Leonard, 76, was born in Compton, Calif., and spent his youth growing up in Oregon, fishing and mowing lawns along the Rogue River. June, 73, was born in Wendell, Idaho, and as a young girl led the Pendleton Round-Up Parade with her signature baton twirling. As young adults, each one made their way: Leonard established a successful hay-loading business with his brother, served in the National Coast Guard Reserve, and joined the fire department where he quickly became captain; June, before turning 18, became one of Arthur Murray's most sought-after dance instructors. She went on to master every dance style imaginable, from the disco hustle to bellydance to the Texas two-step to west coast swing. Give June a room and she could teach everyone in it the latest dance craze.
In the early 1970s, in what was supposed to be a short weekend trip, Leonard drove into Medford in his 1959 Pontiac convertible and swept June off her feet. The two married and made their first home in Bakersfield, Calif. Drawing on Leonard's business savvy and June's artistic talents, they opened Kranenburg's Dancesteps Studio, which had over a thousand students each week streaming onto its dance floor. All the while Leonard continued to fight fires, and the two of them raised five children. Because Oregon always felt like their true home, the couple returned to Medford in the early 1990s, where Leonard tackled bass fishing and June continued to teach throughout the Rogue Valley.
While June loved dancing and choreographing for Dancing with the Rogue Valley Stars and Leonard enjoyed being on his boat and couldn't resist a good joke, their purest joy came from the time they had with their grandchildren: Jacob Strong, Kaitlyn Strong, Kandace Kranenburg, Lacey Strong, Colton Pasnik, Gavin Pasnik, and Sabine June Pasnik McClure. They also leave behind siblings, Kenny and MaryLou Kranenburg, Darlene Dyck, and Leroy and Barbara Smith; sons, Lance Kranenburg, Kirt Kranenburg, and Kevin Pasnik; and daughters, Loni Strong and Shelley Pasnik.
In keeping with June and Leonard's spirit to embrace life passionately, the family invites all who knew them to gather, tell stories, and pay tribute to them at the Evergreen Ballroom (6088 Crater Lake Ave, Central Point), Saturday, July 11, anytime between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the USA Dance K-12 Dance Program. For more information about the gathering or donations, please contact Esther Freeman at 541.941.1973 or estherfreeman@aol.com .