Samuel O. &June P. Stine
Sam and June. Married on Christmas Day, 1954. Seventy years together and a lifetime of love — together to the end, and beyond.
Obituary
A Life Shared
Samuel O. Stine and June P. Stine lived a love story that spanned seven decades — beginning with a Christmas Day wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 25, 1954, and ending only when June joined Sam in eternity in June 2026. They were, in every sense, a pair.
Sam was born in October 1931 in Texas, the son of Clair Stine and Violet Gordon. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1954, and that same year began the greatest chapter of his life, marrying June on Christmas Day. He went on to serve his country with distinction in the United States Air Force, retiring honorably at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After retiring from the Air Force, he earned a Master's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Texas at San Antonio and put his expertise to work for the San Antonio River Authority, where he served his community as ably in civilian life as he had in uniform.
Those who knew Sam knew a quiet man — one whose dry wit, when it landed, left the room laughing. He was deeply, genuinely intelligent, and generous with his time in ways that never called attention to itself. In his later years he loved the tennis court and, with June at his side, the video poker machines — where his sharp mind and patient temperament served him just as well.
June was born in May 1936 in Oklahoma, the daughter of Henry Harold Puckett and Ruth Ellena Chancey. She was, in the truest sense of the phrase, a Southern lady — polite, genteel, and utterly genuine. She had a gift for putting people at ease, a natural instinct for making sure everyone in a room felt seen and heard. She was an exceptional cook, a devoted mother, and a woman who carried grace as naturally as breathing.
June earned her real estate license in San Antonio and sold homes with the same warmth and care she brought to everything in her life — including the family's own beloved home in Universal City, Texas. She also worked for years as a bookkeeper for Universal Glass, bringing her characteristic precision and reliability to everything she touched.
Together, Sam and June were remarkable bridge players — a fitting pastime for two people who complemented each other so naturally. They were also, by any measure, extraordinary stewards of a life well-lived. They raised three children without extravagance and without want, building financial security through decades of quiet discipline and genuine thriftiness. They were a team in every sense of the word.
Sam and June followed the Air Force wherever it led them in the early years of their marriage, before settling in San Antonio, Texas, where they laid down roots and raised their family. In the early 1990s they made their final move together — to Las Vegas, Nevada, the city where they had begun their life together — where they spent decades building a warm community of friends and familiar faces, including the regulars at their favorite casino, where they were known, welcomed, and loved.
On December 25, 2024, Sam and June celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary together. Sam, then in hospice care, was present and aware for the celebration. It was a milestone as remarkable as the people who reached it.
Sam passed away in March 2025. June, after spending her final months in the loving care of her son John and his husband Brad in Stafford, Virginia — where a cottage was being built especially for her — passed away peacefully in June 2026, with John at her side. In her final moments, a deer stood quietly outside her window. She loved seeing them.
Sam and June are survived by their sons: Steve Stine and his wife, Leida, of Pleasanton, California; and John Carnes-Stine and his husband, Brad, of Stafford, Virginia. They are also survived by four grandchildren: Joseph, Francisco, Brandon, and Leroy. They were preceded in death by their beloved eldest daughter, Terri Stine, who passed away in the early 1990s at the age of 35 after a courageous struggle with juvenile diabetes.
In memory of June's lifelong love of education and music, the family has established the June P. Stine Memorial Music Education Scholarship at the Stafford Regional Choral Society, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Those wishing to honor June's memory are invited to contribute to the scholarship fund at:
Stafford Regional Choral Society
PO Box 6161, Fredericksburg, VA 22403
https://staffordchoral.org
Amazon Photos
Here is a link to an Amazon Photos page that Steve lovingly assembled.
Memories from Steve
Sam and June enjoyed many outdoor activities and travel throughout their lives together.
While living in Montana, Sam taught the family how to snow ski. Their love of the outdoors took them camping and hiking through some of the most spectacular landscapes in North America — Yellowstone, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Parks, as well as Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies — where they had close encounters with bison, elk, and bears.
After Sam retired from the Air Force and the family settled in San Antonio, they acquired a motorhome and a boat, which they frequently took to Canyon Lake, where the family learned to waterski and caught plenty of fish. It was also in San Antonio that Sam took up tennis seriously, a passion he carried with him to Las Vegas, where he continued to compete well into his 70s. They also ramped up their travel in retirement, enjoying cruises to Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, and Australia.
In Las Vegas, Sam and June made their home in a beautiful large house. June was especially fond of the hummingbirds she tended, keeping them well supplied with nectar.
As the years passed, Sam's macular degeneration and June's arthritis gradually curtailed their long-range travel and sporting activities — but not their spirits. They met each new chapter with joy and resilience.
Sam and June's 70 years together was a rare, adventure-filled love affair. Their next chapter will certainly be the same.
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I remember Dad reminiscing about a truck that Sam had. The truck would throw a flame from the back, and as a kid, Dad thought this was the coolest. I also remember Dad talking about staying with Sam and June and how he brought a goat to their home as part of his high school project.
I always enjoyed getting together with Sam and June. We would get together for brunch and we would talk about current events, sports and eletric vehicles. Johnny and Kevin have fond memories of going to the the MGM adventure park as kids and staying over at their house. I think Johnny and Kevin got interested in chess after watching Sam and June play chess. The chess board was located at the top of the stairs of their two story home and every time Sam or June would go up or down the stairs, they would move a chess piece.
June was of great support and comfort to my Mom, Maria, when Dad fell ill. She was also there for me after my Mom passed. When I would talk with June, she would give me words of encouragement and she would lift my spirts up.
I miss Sam and June. I believe that they are together once again. Heaven has two more angels.❤️❤️
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