Crown Garden Club Founder - June Lenz
( October 13, 1921 - May 6, 2008)

The Crown Garden Club was founded July 30, 1959  by Navy wife, June Lenz. The club began in June’s garage where she taught flower arranging classes. A bench on the grounds of the Coronado Library is dedicated to her memory.

June led a very interesting life. Following are notes from her obituary in the Coronado newspaper. We share them to give you insight into the amazing woman who started the Crown Garden Club.

When she was a teenager, her father was appointed provisional governor to the Pribilof Islands in Alaska. There she spent two years attending school with Eskimo children, exploring the frozen landscape and marveling at the northern lights.

After returning to Seattle and attending the University of Washington, she moved to Hawaii and joined the staff of the Honolulu Star Bulletin as a reporter. She was there

on Dec. 7, 1941 and witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor. For several days afterward, she worked as a volunteer to help medical personnel care for the wounded.

In 1943 she met the love of her life, Cliff Lenz, a young naval officer onboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. They both returned stateside shortly thereafter and were married in Dallas in September of 1943.

Moving to Coronado in 1956, the family settled into their new home on Alameda Boulevard, one of the first houses constructed on the original Coronado Golf Course site. June's love of gardens and flowers prompted her, with the help of friends, to found the Crown Garden Club in 1959. The club became a Coronado institution and is still going strong nearly 64 years later.

Because of her affection for Coronado and sense of responsibility and commitment to her community, June served on the Design Review Commission overseeing commercial building design along Orange Avenue.

June's beaming smile and ever present optimism will be remembered by all who knew her. 

June Miller
(June 10, 1921 - October 12, 2007)

June Miller was the third president of the Crown Garden Club and the most devoted  tender of the garden (The June Miller Garden) in Spreckels Park. Our civic beautification committee  continues to maintain it weekly.  Her obituary in the Coronado Eagle gives us insight into her dedication to the Crown Garden Club.

June enjoyed a full and productive life. She was born on June 10, 1921 in Whangarrei, New Zealand. As a young woman of 17, June served in the New Zealand Army where among other duties she was assigned to driving tanks and vehicle maintenance. Later she joined the New Zealand Air Force Security Forces.

On Oct 21, 1944 June married Major Harvey Miller, USMC. Upon settling in Coronado, June immediately joined the newly formed Crown Garden Club.  In 1962 and 1963 June served as CGC president. "In the early 60's we donned yellow and green crowns, decorated our brooms and trowels with matching ribbons and picked up litter and tidied tree wells along the business area of Orange Avenue followed by news cameras," said June. She was involved in planting and maintaining trees and gardens along Orange Avenue, Coronado schools, and entrances to North Island and the Amphibious Base. June's efforts helped the Crown Garden Club receive awards for civic beatification. 

June Miller's greatest gift to her treasured community of Coronado was the many years of joyous toil done on behalf of the Crown Garden Club. Her family wishes to continue that community support and invites all who care to make a contribution in her memory to direct their generosity to the Crown Garden Club.