The Turquoise Lady: My Loves, Fashions, and Fortunes

By June Rosenthal and Kathy Hirshon

What a life she’s lived—June Rosenthal: wife and mother, civic leader, creator of her own exclusive fashion style, and real estate saleswoman extraordinaire! In these personal vignettes capturing the essence of her 94 years—and still going strong—she offers fascinating pictures of the places she’s gone, the people she’s met, and the exploits and accomplishment that have combined to create her truly unique story.

Going hand in hand—complementing and enhancing—these distinctive tales are the charming and colorful illustrations of noted New Mexico artist Kathy Hirshon. Together, they make a rare kind of book describing in words and pictures the long and accomplishment-filled life of a very special individual in a way that will captivate any reader interested in the personal story of a modern woman who is truly sui generis.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terra Nova Books
• Release date: Nov 5, 2018
• ISBN: 9781948749244

June Rosenthal

Born, raised, and married in her family home in Chappaqua, N.Y., June Rosenthal went on to build a unique life on the early values of bonding with the land and following her inquisitive spirit to become an adventuresome young woman. At age 20, her earlier outdoor garb evolved through her job at Vogue magazine which opened the door to fashion and travel … loves that have been touchstones of her high-energy life. At 45, residential real estate beckoned, and her turquoise aura was noticed by all, leading to the outfits it adorned, whether casual or formal, that became her passion and trademark.

Book preview

Illustrator

Preface

I’m June . . . 94 and counting! It was such a joy to remember these tales and events, and to write the laughing, smiling episodes of my life for others to enjoy—and me too!

This is a story of me . . . a woman who rarely conformed to the norms for American women of my generation. Blazing my own individual trail helped me achieve goals big and small while relishing each adventure to the fullest. My attitudes were taught to me by my dear mother and father. It was their love that formed the loft of my soar.

LOVE . . . oh, yes, and so much caring.

LAUGHTER . . . always chuckles and grins.

Read with a light heart and gleeful joy. Live the episodes—as I did—in neither black nor white but definitely shades of turquoise.

And if you should find inspiration, so much the better!

A HEALTHY PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE

Two Wolves

ASioux elder is talking with his grandson—Each of us has two wolves within us—one good, one bad. They fight constantly. The little boy asks, Grandfather, which wolf wins? And his Grandfather answers, The one you feed, my son, the one you feed.

So it is in life—three giant steps to fulfillment.

Feed your good qualities—starve your bad.

Stay involved with life—from your early years to forever.

Don’t be afraid to unplug the iPhone and tune out the television once in a awhile . . . it can be therapeutic!

The Guide

It all started with a discovery when I was five or six years old growing up in Chappaqua, New York. I was an usher for notables checking out an Indian kitchen cave found by my brother in the dense woods behind my parents’ property. These were my growing years with Native American history awakening in my young soul. I asked my mother to make a professional-looking sign for me so that people would know I was their true guide—and she embroidered Guide on the back of my sweater.

The Trapper’s Helper

Instead of delivering newspapers like most young boys, my entrepreneurial brother, Harold, trapped muskrats and beaver to sell their skins to a St. Louis, Missouri, company. He set his traps at 4 a.m. before commuting an hour by bus to his private school. He employed me to pick them up because I attended the local school and got home at 2:30 p.m. each afternoon. So off I went into the woods two or three times a week to collect his animals wearing my father’s huge hunting jacket with BIG pockets.

Even though I was only seven, I carried a pistol and knew how to use it! I would walk for more than a mile, carrying heavy, wet, dead animals in those big pockets. I was very proud to help my loving brother—and he paid me a nickel instead of a dime because it was bigger!