June E Ricards

 June E. Ricards, age 85 of Oklahoma City, OK passed away on Thursday, April 17, 2025 at Concordia Life Care Community in OKC. She was born on June 3, 1939 in Bruning, NE to the late Carl and Merle Middendorf. 

June earned her Nursing Certification from Lincoln General Hospital in 1960 and then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1979 at Cal State Bakersfield. Her nursing career spanned 48 years, starting as an Operating Room (OR) Scrub Technician on the night shift and advancing through the years to various management roles. Her titles included OR Supervisor, Assistant Director of Nursing, Surgical Service Consultant, culminating in her final role as Director of the SurgiCare Center in Oklahoma City. 

June is a life-long Lutheran and was very active in the church. June loved music, playing piano and clarinet in high school. She sang in the church choir and even played handbells in her later years with the church handbell choir. After retirement, June worked as a volunteer at Mercy Health Center for about 4 years, often in the Surgical Waiting Room. She was able to connect with the patients with her background in nursing and supervising.

 June enjoyed traveling. As an active member of the Association of Operating Room Nurses (AORN), she was able to travel internationally for those meetings, including to New Zealand and Singapore. She also enjoyed cooking and reading. June loved people. As she walked down the hallways at Concordia, she knew everyone’s names, staff and friends alike, and greeted all with a ready smile. She was beloved by all who knew her. A plaque in June’s apartment sums it up well, “A friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart”. 

June was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Merle Middendof, and her brother John. She is survived by her daughters Elaine Hertz (Mark) of Longmont, CO and Kristine Lynch (Robert) of Mustang, OK; grandchildren Christopher Hertz of Albuquerque, NM, Joshua Hertz (Samantha) of Laurel, MD, Katrina Lynch of Norman, OK, and John Lynch of Mustang, OK; and sister Janet Storzer of Oklahoma City, OK. She also leaves many other family and friends who will miss her. 

A Celebration of Life service will be held in June’s birthday month, June 7, 2025 at 10:30 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Oklahoma City, OK. Luncheon will be served following the service at the church. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Music Ministry or to Wounded Warrior Project.