Many words have been written and tributes paid on the death of our dear friend and colleague Dame June Clark, 14th May 2025. June had a long and illustrious career as a health visitor and a nurse educator and was a powerful activist in the RCN. She held many elected roles including those of President, Council Member and Chair of Congress.  

Many nurses first encountered June through her publications and letters in the nursing press. Peggy Pryer recalls meeting June as a student health visitor (HV) in 1974-5. ‘I attended a study afternoon at which June was the speaker. I had become quite despondent with the health visiting I was seeing being practised where I had been based as a student HV. June’s book A Family Visitor was to be my salvation! I modelled my HV practice on it, including ensuring that I was involved with all members of the families I was visiting- not just the babies and pre-school children. I always remembered June’s words,“and don’t forget granny in the corner” when I was to make home visits. At Congress in 1987 June encouraged me to get up and request that there be a Health Visitors’ Forum within the RCN. A community for HVs was set up the following Spring.‘

At Congress, June shone as a powerful, passionate, political nurse. She was happy to engage with anyone, anytime on anything related to nursing.  Always brilliant. Always to the point. Controversial, often challenging the received wisdom and the ‘correct’ ways of doing things. She had no airs or graces, she was just 'June' to everybody, but she knew how to get her points across whether she was talking to the Prime Minister or a first-year nursing student. Back then, it was articulate people like June who ensured that attendance at Congress provided a brilliant professional and political education - not just in the formal sessions but in coffee queue conversations and late night discussions. She wasn't afraid to ruffle feathers and preferred to face things head on, which perhaps wasn't always the most effective way in achieving what she thought was right. For retired member Peggy Pryer, ‘June was the most inspirational member of the nursing profession I met in my 69+ years of membership', having first seen June at RRB (Regional Representative Body) that preceded Congress in the late 60’s early 70's. 

June retired from her role as Professor of Community Nursing in Swansea in 2003 but continued to be actively involved in nursing issues and in RCN activities. She had a vision of retired members continuing to use their knowledge and expertise for the benefit of nursing, nurses and the College as a whole. She was instrumental in establishing a network of retired members determined to help her realise this vision. Jenny Janes reminds us that for several years, June put together and presented to Council meetings a report on the Network. She was pro-active in the Network at Congress fringe meetings, starting up a newsletter and a Facebook page, as well as chairing the regular monthly Network meetings. From its inception by Council in 2017, June was involved with the organisation and delivery of the annual Retired Members' Conference. She was an elected representative of the RCN at the National Pensioners Convention (NPC), demonstrating how nurse pensioners could contribute to the health and well-being of pensioners everywhere. June recognised that working with the NPC provided an opportunity for nursing and RCN input on issues across the range of social determinants to health.   

June maintained her interest and commitment to retired members and continued to engage with the RCN Retired Members Network (NPC Affiliated) until shortly before her death. Her vision of active, retired members, valued across the organisation, appropriately recognised, and embedded in RCN governance structures and processes lives on. Her wisdom, passion and vision will be much missed.