June Lemmings grew up poor in rural Colorado. She didn’t have bare essentials, her dad was largely absent, and her family never had enough to go around. With 12 biological siblings and sordid living conditions, her childhood wasn’t an easy one.
“I was one of the older siblings and I just felt it in my heart that I had to take care of them as much as I could, even though I was just a kid,” June recounts. These circumstances forced June to grow up quickly, and she understood more about life than most her age.
“When we were little, we would get the Sears magazine in the mail and we’d look at the houses they used to sell. I can still picture them today. They were so pretty. My siblings and I would dream that we would have real houses next to one another. I used to tell them that I would help them get a house someday,” she says warmly. “We just wanted to have a home like that.”
It wasn’t long before the family’s conditions worsened and June and her siblings were placed in foster care homes around the state. “We were all split up. I ended up in the Canyon City area,” she details.
June and her family may have been separated, but the bond that they formed in their early years remained strong. They saw each other when they could and stayed in contact as much as their circumstances allowed.
The Turning Point
When June was in middle school, she had an opportunity to travel to Mexico as a representative from her class. “It was such a big deal to me. I couldn’t believe it,” she recalls. “The trip was going to be awarded to the kid that worked the hardest in Spanish class. I worked hard. Harder than I ever had. I wanted that trip so badly.”
June’s hard work paid off – her teachers noticed, and she was chosen for the trip. It was one of the best moments of her life. The trip was wonderful,” she says. “But the best part, honestly, was the way the teachers helped make it happen. They all got together and pooled their money so I could have clean, nice clothes to wear. They each pitched in $20 – that was a lot for them, but they did it anyway. One of them took me shopping and I had never felt more cared for as I did that day. All these years later, I can still remember what my first swimming suit looked like,” she remembers.
The trip was a turning point in June’s life. She learned that if she worked hard and kept going after it, doors would open. Despite growing up in various foster homes, June continued to do well in school; eventually, she earned a spot at the University of Northern Colorado.
A few days after June turned 18, her foster dad took her to Greeley and dropped her off with just $100. “I had nothing, but I had to make it work; I didn’t have a choice,” she says. June slept in her sister’s living room and bootstrapped herself through college with three jobs, not enough sleep, and her long-held promise to better herself.
It’s no doubt that June didn’t have it easy growing up, but you’d be hard-pressed to ever hear her complain about her upbringing. Her demeanor is marked by gratitude, and she intentionally focuses on the happy memories. June graduated, got married, and had two children. Life moved June and her children around, but she kept going forward. June was determined to be a homeowner by the age of 28. She missed that mark by just seven months, but at 29 she officially made her dream come true.
However, shortly after June and her husband divorced. She found herself with two young children to support, and she had to sell the house that she worked so hard to purchase. “I was 30 years old at that point and I had to start over. I was scared, but I knew I could make it work. I’d done this before,” she says. June sold her first home and made it back to northern Colorado.
With a bit of luck and a whole lot of ingenuity, June found herself working for a real estate investor. She helped him flip houses and sell foreclosures. She was good, and she had a hunch that she could make a career out of it. June quickly learned all she could and earned her real estate license; not long after, she started what’s now known as June’s Team – a powerhouse real estate team that serves buyers and sellers in the region.
Despite everything she’s been through, June achieved her dreams. She’s become a very successful REALTOR® in Loveland, and she’s still working hard to fulfill the promises she made as a kid. “My sister was my first client and I’ve been able to help many other siblings, nieces, and nephews buy homes over the years. It’s something I’m so proud of,” June says.
June is now remarried and adores her blended family. She has gotten close with many of her clients, and one particular couple has become the parents June never had.
“They started out as my clients, but they have quickly evolved into so much more,” she details. “I was a single mom when we met and they took me in. They practically adopted us – we’re family now. They came to my kids’ games and have helped me so much over the years. I just love them. They’re my chosen family.”
At a very young age, June understood the necessity of having a safe, warm place to call home. That very understanding is what guides her work all these years later.
She and her team help more than 100 families a year find a place to call home. She’s a dedicated member of the Loveland community, and she’s committed to giving back to the very kinds of people who gave so much to her as a child.
“I didn’t have an easy childhood, but I always had my siblings. My sisters are my biggest cheerleaders, and our family is still close,” she details. “Now, I’m at the point where I can give back.”
Teachers still have a special place in June’s heart. Without the love and support of her teachers, she doesn’t know where she’d be today. Every month, June’s team gives treats and supplies to teachers at six area schools. “It makes me so happy to know they have something special,” June says. “If I can make a teacher’s day, I know they’ll turn around and make a kid’s day. That’s what matters to me.”
June could have a chip on her shoulder for the way her life began, but she’s thankful instead. Those early years formed her into the grateful, passionate, and vivacious businesswoman she is today.
“I just care. I care about my community, I care about my clients. I want people to know that. I promise to work hard for each of my clients.”
June Lemmings, June’s Team
www.Junesteam.kw.com
970- 573-5791