Broadway Veteran June Springer Passes Away at 85

June Reimer SPRINGER, of New York City, died peacefully on September 27, 2013 in Chico, CA at the age of 85.

Born in 1928 in Hackensack, NJ to Alice and Rudolph Reimer, she grew up in Bogota NJ. June became a professional singer at 18, appearing in several musicals on Broadway (including "Kiss Me Kate" for which she recalled auditioning before Cole Porter; Sigmund Romberg's "My Romance;" and "Three Wishes For Jamie," among others); and on national tours including Romberg's "The Student Prince", in which she starred as the Princess. In the 1950s, under the stage name Monica Lane, June joined crooner Cass Franklin as a popular singing duo playing New York nightclubs such as The Latin Quarter, pioneer television variety shows such as The Colgate Comedy Hour, and Catskills resorts (Monica's publicity pin-up became the source material for Roy Lichtenstein's famous "Girl With Ball," in NYC's MoMA).

In 1953, June married John Springer, whose career as a film and theater public relations agent became legend. With John, she enjoyed the glamour of the New York and international entertainment, arts and journalism worlds, but she was far more devoted to family: children Gary, Alicia, and Cynthia; grandchildren Nicholas and Olivia Springer, Zachary Gilman, and Anthony and Zora Thomas; and her sister Marilyn and family.

Warm, funny, beautiful, and generous, June was beloved by loyal friends and family. A Memorial will be held later in October in New York City at The Players Club.