Dolores June (Anderson) Donais, 92, passed away peacefully with her family on April 28, 2026, while residing in her Pend Oreille County home she loved and lived in for over 50 years.

Born on June 26, 1933, June spent her childhood at Williams Lake. Blessed with a brilliant mind from the very beginning, she proudly finished her entire high school curriculum during her first year in a one-room schoolhouse, later graduating from North Central High School in Spokane, Washington. In 1972, she and her husband moved to their property in Pend Oreille County, where they built the home that would become the heart of her life.

June was a woman of remarkable intellect, warmth, and diverse talents. She was an accomplished painter, a ham radio operator, a musician who played the piano and accordion, and an avid reader and rider who surprised us when she shared her belt buckle from barrel racing with her granddaughter. She brought her skills to the historic Spokane investment firm Murphey Favre. Though offered a prestigious advancement in New York City, she chose to decline the offer, prioritizing her deepest joy: being a devoted mother to her three children.

Despite her many achievements, June was deeply humble; most people never knew about the numerous awards and recognitions she received throughout her lifetime. She possessed a rare gift for finding the best in everyone and deeply cherished spending time with friends and family.

Her life was defined by a profound commitment to serving others. June worked for many years as a surgical tech nurse, later working for a private mcdical practice and then Bliss Chiropractic in Newport. As a passionate advocate, she served as a Washington State Ombudsman, fighting tirelessly for those who needed a voice. Her volunteer work was wherever there was a need she could fill. She was a Sunday School teacher, Cub Scout Leader, transcribed library books into braille at the Newport Library, baked hundreds of cookies for rest stops with the Fertile Valley Grange, and worked alongside her husband, Jim, with Sandy and Dale Lewis to write grants that founded Fire District 7 on land donated by Charlie Nall. They purchased a fire engine and June proudly served as the district’s very first EMT, while Jim was a founding Fire Commissioner, enabling over 100 people in the area to finally secure fire insurance.

June was also an adventurous spirit who loved to travel. She explored the world with trips to Sweden, Costa Rica, and Japan, and she was always up for a spontaneous road trip. Her curiosity and love for history led her to compile her extensive family genealogy, even traveling to the archives in Salt Lake City to meticulously document her family’s heritage.

At her core, June was deeply connected to the earth, her animals, and her family. She loved gardening, wildcrafting, and botanical medicine. Most of her years the property was filled with life, including her beloved horses, blue-ribbon chickens, cows, and her loyal cougar-chasing dog Otis that protected her to the end.

June was reunited in heaven with her husband, James Marcel Donais, her father, Chester B. “Jack” Anderson, her mother, Edna Naomi (Cail) Moore and all of the beloved pets, creatures and wildings that went before her.

Her incredible legacy of service, strength, curiosity, and unconditional love lives on through her children, Jim, Jerry, and Jeanne Donais; her grandchildren, Rachel, Jaime, Cody, Adam, Casey, Jesse,Sarah, Jake and her great-grandchildren, Ashtyn, Aiden, Logan, Hayden, Blayden, Tommy, Kyra, Crew, Sayla, and Sev.

Family and friends are invited to join us as we honor and remember an extraordinary life and lay our beloved June to rest Thursday, September 17th at noon at Heritage Funeral Home at Riverside Memorial Park, in the Garden of Peace.