June Theresa Reisinger

June Theresa Mullen Reisinger, age 65 of Elliottsburg, PA, passed away in her sleep on Saturday, January 30, 2021.

June was born November 24, 1955, to Thomas J. Mullen, Jr and Joan Tyne Mullen at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. Some years later, after her grandfather passed away, her parents moved to the family farm in Oldwick, NJ where they raised Black Angus cattle and bred Thoroughbred horses.

She was the second eldest of eight children, and with her parents’ support and encouragement, June pursued an avid passion for horses through the 4H program in Hunterdon County, NJ. She invested years in training, education, and hands-on work to learn the skills of horsemanship and equitation. June was a member of the Hunterdon County 4H National Championship Horse Judging Team in 1973 and was also presented with the Top Individual Award. She also found time to pursue interests in hot air ballooning, breeding Thoroughbred horses, and veterinary science.

After graduation from Mount St. John’s Academy in Gladstone, NJ in 1973, June attended Boston University. She graduated in 1977 with an Independent Major, specializing in international relations and rural community development.

June married Dr. Richard Reed, a veterinarian, and they went on to have two children, Mary and James. They shared her love of animals and learned many life lessons while growing up on a family farm.

She was a lifelong member of the American Seed Savings Exchange and worked with several US seed banks to propagate and preserve heirloom crops. June also served on the American Cotswold Record Association. She stewarded a flock of Cotswold sheep and was one of the three women who secured recognition for colored Cotswold sheep: “...three wise ACRA shepherdesses – June Mullen of PA, Pat LaBrecque of NH, and Pat Frisella of ME, patiently assembled paperwork and bloodline documentation to start the Black Cotswold Society. It was a rousing success, allowing colored sheep (and ACRA-approved sheep that produced color) to be registered. The Black Cotswold breed’s bloodline record was thus established – an American treasure and a historical first.”

Throughout her career, June consulted with the Pennsylvania and United States departments of agriculture on emergency preparedness and biosecurity issues. She also served two terms as Special Advisor to the US Secretary of Agriculture. In 1994, June prepared and presented an amicus brief to the US Supreme Court, advocating on behalf of farmers being sued over their use of patented seed stock. In her retirement, she served as a board member of the Perry County Economic Development Authority.

In 2006, June was blessed to find love again, and married John Reisinger of Elliottsburg, PA. They worked side by side on John’s family farm, where they raised chickens and crops for their own table, as well as for their friends and neighbors. She enjoyed shooting, and hunting season was always a busy time as John and his sons would bring in multiple deer to be prepared for the freezer.

During this time, June developed her next passion: starting her own bakery business at a local farmer’s market and mastering advanced culinary techniques for competing in regional baking events. June was active in her church and enjoyed volunteering at the Perry County Food Bank.

In retirement, June was blessed to be able to spend time with her children and 14 grandchildren who lived locally. She was the family storyteller and knew it was important for her children and grandchildren to know about their ancestors and the many stories of their lives from generations ago.

She was lucky to share many activities with the extended family who lived nearby, especially grandma duties with Patti McCarty of New Bloomfield, PA.

June loved time with family and friends above all, and the isolation of Covid was especially hard in the past year. Annual family reunions were replaced with Zoom meetings, which happily were recorded. She will be sorely missed by all and fondly remembered as a peerless example of commitment to family and stewardship of the land and all creatures great and small.

June is survived by her beloved husband John, sisters Eileen and Maureen, honorary sisters Susie and Peggy, brothers Thomas, Sean, Kevin, and Jim, her children Mary and James, John’s children Samuel and Kevin, and cousins Mary, Gerilyn, and James, as well as fourteen grandchildren, and eight nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her brother Patrick and her parents.

A celebration of June’s life will be held later in 2021. Funeral arrangements and cremation services were under the direction of Holcombe-Fisher Funeral Home, 147 Main Street, Flemington NJ 08822.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Mannsville Lutheran Church at 2944 Mannsville Rd., Elliottsburg, PA 17024.

For further information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.holcombefisher.com.