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"Seeing the faces you can almost hear the voices, pleading for their names"
This weeks featured member is June Holman, our AD for Louisiana
and Arkansas.
June has a family background in Law Enforcement. Her
grandfather had been deputized and her father became warden of St. Charles
Parish Jail. Her mother was considered one of the best jail cooks in
Louisiana. June worked in bookkeeping, and like her mother…did some
cooking at the Sheriff's Office.
You might say that the family had
"maximum exposure" to the world of law enforcement. In fact her entire
family were all deputized at one time. "I believe that my early exposure
to the 'darker side' had de-sensitized me to some of the evil things that
really happen in this life. Perhaps this was the first step in preparing
me for Doe Network." Says June. Finishing first in her class June took
course in screen writing and went to conferences in Hollywood and Santa
Fe. All part of what June feels was fate taking her down a different path
than what she had intended for my life. Perhaps this was the second step?
Daughter Linda and a "handsome grandson", Phillip, the lights of
June’s life, have been living with her since her husband passed away. One
door closes, but others open as life progresses down the twisting path.
Some times the things that appear to be tripping stones turn out to be
fate intervening.
"Phillip had been using my car to go to work
daily so that left Linda and I with time on our hands and no way to get
around. That’s when Linda discovered Doe Network. Knowing how much I love
a mystery, she told me about it. Together, we decided to join knowing that
our different way of looking at things could be to our benefit here. Was
this the third step on my journey?" explains June.
"When I first
got into Doe Network, I was overwhelmed with the heartbreaking stories
that I read. They were fascinating and frightening at the same time. I was
hooked from the start. If the stories didn’t get you, then the sheer
amount of people missing and unidentified remains surely would. Little did
I know that this was where it would all come together." Says June
describing the finding of her path.
"I wasn’t in Doe too long
before Area Director for Louisiana and Arkansas became open. I knew I had
the ‘calling’. I stayed awake a couple of nights wondering if I could do
the job. But, I knew in the end that I had to do it. So, Linda and I
jumped in as Area Director and Assistant Director for Louisiana, Arkansas
and North Carolina. This is how I came to be where I am now." Adds June.
It has been a growing and learning process for June. And like many
of us, instead of watching TV in the evenings she can be found trying to
match Doe’s with the newly announced missing people. She’s also beginning
to do some writing.
"I can’t wait to have a good match to call in
to my many LE’s and ME’s that I contact, because I have found that they
are as excited as I am about sending their Doe’s home. Perhaps I am living
the fourth step now. I am sure that I am being led to it. I know that the
Wheel of Fate is always turning - where you start, you will surely end.
So, perhaps my Wheel is nearing its complete turn – law enforcement,
writing and Doe! "
Why does June stay in the Doe Network? For her
there’s no question. "From the start, the group has accepted me and I have
accepted and learned from them. I feel like we are all part of an extended
family and we are looking for our lost loved ones. After all, what could
be more important than the loved ones that we have adopted as our own?
We're there to dry each other's tears and pat each other on the back when
we do something good. I may never meet any other Doe members, but they
have touched me. I hope that in some small way I have touched them as
well." And at night, when I lay down, I can almost hear the voices out
there - pleading for their names! "
"May your angels walk with
you." says June.
Thank you June for being one of the angels who
walks with us. You take the time to listen to your heart and the "voices"
that cry out for justice.
Author: Todd Matthews
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