June Rogers Knox
Cape Fear Garden Club President 1994 – 1995
Emeritus Member
June Rogers Knox was born in Durham, N. C. but early in her life her family moved to Charlotte where she graduated from Central High School. In the summer between her junior and senior year at Central she went to a choir camp at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey and this contributed to developing a lifelong interest in singing in a choir and in music. When she graduated from high school she went to High Point College where she majored in religion.
June was active in student government and in her junior year at High Point she was secretary of her Junior Class and in her senior year she was vice-president of her Senior Class. These roles contributed to the development of her leadership skills which would serve her well in later life. She also was a member of Alpha Delta Sorority.
During her freshman year in college a college administrator asked June to be in the High Point Marching Band where she played the symbols. Her participation in various music roles reveals her life long love of listening to and participating in musical settings. June served four years as State President of the National Federation of Music Clubs and presently she is an active member of the Grace United Methodist Chancel Choir.
She met her husband Joe at High Point College and once married, lived in France while he was in the army; returning to Wilmington as a young man to work at the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. When the Atlantic Coastline Railroad left Wilmington to move headquarters to Jacksonville, Florida, Joe did not wish to join them and sought and received employment at First Citizens Bank. June and Joe along with their daughters Allison, Susie and Nancy Jo went with the bank to Raleigh, Kinston and before retirement from the bank returned to the Wilmington First Citizens from which he later retired. June exercised her degree in religion by teaching Bible in the public schools right out of college before she married Joe, and later was youth director at Grace Methodist, Fifth Avenue Methodist and at another time Westminster Methodist in Kinston.
Grace Hobbs invited June to join the Cape Fear Garden Club. June said she joined so that she could learn more about how to take care of the camellias and azaleas in her yard on Live Oak Parkway. When she joined, the club was meeting at Grace United Methodist Church. She said at the time everyone knew everyone in the club which is difficult today because the club has grown to have such a large membership. June was president of the Garden Club in 1994-95. She said the ribbon cutting for the Garden Tour was held at the J. D. Causey home during her tenure. During her time as president she said the job presented itself as a challenge but was very enjoyable. She was able to get to know many of the members very well.
When asked what the most positive attributes of the Garden Club are, she replied, “The effect the club has on the community.” The proceeds from the Garden Tour for the most part are put back into the community and this is the reason that the community supports the club with such enthusiasm. She also said that the City of Wilmington and New Hanover County profit greatly from the labors of our members in the quest to beautify our area. Her advice to Garden Club members who have not gone out to Battery Island for a cleanup is to GO as it is a wonderful experience in nature, and she also was thrilled with the times she has been on the Battery Island Cruise which the club sponsors. I quote, “Garden Club members are missing a treat if they do not go!”
She believes that joining a committee and participating in its work greatly enhances a member’s satisfaction with their Garden Club membership.
Interview by Carole Ellis, December, 2018