June Nellos, 85, of Warsaw, Illinois, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 2, 2026, at Carthage
Memorial Hospital. During the final weeks of her life, June was lovingly cared for in the home of her son,
Wesley Jobe, surrounded by family and the love of those closest to her.
June was born on August 5, 1941, in Keokuk, Iowa, to Roy and Daisy (Greer) Hawkins. She was raised
on the family farm in rural Argyle, Iowa, and graduated from Argyle High School.
June was first married to Dennis Jobe, and the couple later divorced. She went on to marry George
Nellos, with whom she shared nearly 30 years of marriage.
Throughout her life, June was a hard-working woman who took great pride in the people and places she
became a part of. She was employed at Ducks, a local grocery store in Hamilton, Illinois, before
beginning what would become a long career at Pizza Hut as the manager in Keokuk, Iowa. June worked
at both the original Mall location and the current location, eventually retiring after many years of service.
She was well known as a mentor to many of the people she worked with and left a lasting impression on
those who had the privilege of knowing her.
June had a deep love for reading and the outdoors. Some of her happiest moments could be found sitting
in a hammock in the yard with a good book or taking nature walks with her grandchildren while collecting
geodes. She also enjoyed spending Friday nights dancing with her late husband, George.
June was a fierce advocate for women’s rights and, more broadly, for human rights. She was strong-
willed, compassionate, independent, and never afraid to stand up for what she believed was right.
Above all else, June cherished her family. Her children and grandchildren were her world, and she
devoted countless hours to being a part of their lives as they grew. The memories she created with them
will continue to be treasured by generations to come.
June is survived by her children, Nadine Smith of Montrose, Iowa; Wesley (Julie) Jobe of Hamilton,
Illinois; and Ninette Whippie of Keokuk, Iowa; her grandchildren, Breanna Smith, Jason Smith, Brandon
(Victoria) Whippie, Nicole (Dalton) Miller, Taylor (Dayton) Gibson, Matt (Sam) Riley, Josh Riley, and Caleb
Riley; and her ten great-grandchildren, Brenden, Braylynn, Sylynn, Lilly, Matthew, Maximus, Mary Louise,
Max, Ada June, and Tucker.
She was preceded in death by her husband, George Nellos; her daughter, Norine Jobe; her parents, Roy
and Daisy (Greer) Hawkins; her brothers, Leroy Hawkins, Richard Hawkins, Harold “Sonny” Hawkins, and
Charles Hawkins; and her sisters, Betty Hawkins Anderson Tallman, Ruth Hawkins Smith, and Virginia
Riddle.
No funeral services will be held at this time.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society in honor of June, a breast
cancer survivor.
June will be remembered for her strength, her fierce spirit, her love of the outdoors and a good book, her
dedication to those she cared for, and most of all, the love she poured into her family. Her memory will live
on in the hearts of all who knew and loved her.