This June will mark the 55th anniversary of a day when a breach presentation baby greeted the world and immediately had the hiccups. The nurses and doctors of this Wiesbaden, Germany Air Force hospital befittingly named her the “Hiccup Baby”. Her mom, a German citizen took up the moniker for the newborn and when it was time for feeding, she asked for “Baby Hiccup”
The first 8 months of Baby Hiccup’s life was in Germany. Then on to Massachusetts for a year while her dad finished out his commitment to the military. In the wee hours of the morning their apartment caught fire and proved to be another auspicious beginning point for her. An off-duty police officer noted the fire, smashed in the door, and grabbed Baby Hiccup while he yelled for her parents to evacuate. The officer became Uncle Mac to the family and to Baby Hiccup, a godfather.
When Baby Hiccup was a young girl, and until she was 14, her maternal grandmother, Omi (pronounced “O-me”) from Germany lived with the family in California. When, at the age of 41 Baby Hiccup’s mother passed away Omi took over and she was quite the woman! Prior to WWII she was a famous opera singer in Germany. But when the war broke out, she and her family ran from the Russians and Nazis. Baby Hiccup’s grandfather used Russian laborers in the factories he oversaw, and Omi managed to irritate Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister – He had made several passes at Omi, and she told him what he could do with his advances towards her. It wasn’t too long afterwards the American soldiers came in and the war ended. Omi was an incredibly strong woman. Grateful to have had her a part of life, Baby Hiccup knows she embodies Omi’s strength and hutzpah. Omi’s love of travel was instilled early in Baby Hiccup’s life as she became Omi’s travel companion. They spent 2 weeks traveling through the Caribbean & the Panama Canal then sailed through parts of Alaska. They spent 6 weeks in Germany which proved to be an eye-opener for Baby Hiccup as Omi allowed her freedoms that helped mold the woman she is today.
North Hollywood, California was home to Baby Hiccup until she was 23 and decided it was time to “get the heck out of dodge” and took a job in Las Vegas, NV. She commuted via airplane for the first 3 months of that job before moving to Las Vegas for the next 3 years. Here, her birth nickname of Baby Hiccup was sort of befitting as a showgirl at the Tropicana Hotel. Okay, that’s not entirely true – her joke, not mine! She was a Regulatory Affairs Manager for a communications company, but “Showgirl” sounded much more fun! Omi would have approved the joke!
No Showgirl joke this time! Meet June McKenzie.
In 1996, after 3 years of calling Las Vegas home, June moved to Germantown, MD where she met her husband. Shortly thereafter they moved to Lakewood, CO for a brief period, and in 2005, landed in Vista, California, (northern San Diego County) and she went back to work for the same Las Vegas company. June worked the next 10 years as Corporate Secretary and Manager of Regulatory Affairs, in tax compliance and Human Resources for the six companies owned by this serial entrepreneur. Fast forward to 2008 June’s marriage ended, and 4 years later she met “the man of my dreams”.
June is a long-time aficionado of motorcycles and will tell you that traveling by motorcycle is the best way to travel. She has ridden through Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and many states in the USA. Enter the influence of Omi – one day a wild hair took June on a 1,069-mile ride in 23 hours while documenting the trip for the Iron Butt Association, an organization that is dedicated to the sport of safe long-distance riding. But the motorcycle trip that stands out the most was her solo ride through 4 states in 11 days covering 3,200 miles.
In 2013, she and Noah headed back to the San Diego area after a motorcycle trip to Yosemite. They were in 50 plus miles of heavy traffic and forced to lane spilt (go between two sets of cars and legal in California). “Our beautiful trip was little ruined by all this traffic, and we knew there was a better way of life”, June explains. So, in January 2014 (8 months after that trip), June and Noah left California for Kings Valley, Conifer, Colorado and bought their home. Dreams do come true!
June continued working remotely at her California job remotely until 2015 and then in 2016 joined RE/MAX Alliance team managing operations for the Evergreen & Conifer offices. In 2018, she took the real estate exam and since has been helping families achieve their real estate goals. June describes this as by far the most rewarding career ever with plans to stay until retirement.
Other than motorcycles, June interests include hiking, camping, overlanding (a combination of remote travel, off-roading, and camping.) and supporting our community. Since moving here, she has been very active with the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce by participating on planning committees for the Christmas Parade and Elevation Celebration and working their events. In 2018, June became a chamber ambassador and was voted Ambassador of the Year (2019/2020). June also finds the time to volunteer for some of our amazing mountain non-profits like the Intermountain Humane Society, and of course the CN&N Holiday Boutique. Despite real estate taking up a lot of time, June is grateful for time off to enjoy the things she loves – fur babies, motorcycles, and Noah.
And by the way, Baby Hiccup is also “Junebug” – a name she acquired when she was a little girl and is still called today. June McKenzie is 54 years young – until this June.
