June Matarazzo, aged 75 of West Redding, Connecticut, died on September 1, 2021 at Danbury Hospital.    June was born on September 3 ^rd , 1946 in Greenwich, Connecticut.   She was the daughter of Stanley and Irma  Birkett Atorick.    She grew up in Greenwich and attended Greenwich High School.      She began a career as a hairdresser but quickly decided that she preferred dogs and grooming and launched a life- long career as a professional groomer.     She worked for the famous Grayarlin  Kennels  in Southbury and eventually purchased her own business, Canine Coiffures in Stamford, which she ran for over twenty years.     She ended her career at Cascio Kennels and retired to take care of her own Afghans and Greyhounds.     Dogs and dog shows were her passion and for many years almost every weekend was devoted to that.   June's dogs competed at National Specialties, Westminster Kennel Club and shows throughout the Northeast, winning countless awards and coveted Westminster medallions.  June was always on the end of the lead.    Her Willomoor Kennel has been recognized by fellow breeders of Afghans and Greyhounds for more than 45 years for the quality of her dogs.

June also had a passion for gardening and her property was a tribute to her success in that area as well.   Her friends enjoyed orchids which she propagated, a true measure of a green thumb in the flower world.    She shared her passion for gardening with her husband John of thirty eight years, spending countless hours together beatifying their property.      She fed all the little creatures in her yard and was particularly fond of watching the birds at her feeders.

June was an avid antiquer, bringing home countless treasures from trips to various parts of the region during dogs show adventures as well as local shops along the way.    Many of these items were related to her breeds and she felt the need to preserve their history through her finds.     John and June began sharing this activity in recent years as they rode through the Connecticut countryside looking at properties to consider and amazing places to dine.

All of this requires boundless energy and June certainly had it to spare.    There were few that could keep up with her.    She was a loyal friend to many and loved to talk about the dog world with them.

June is survived by her husband, John F Matarazzo of W. Redding and two nephews Daniel and Michael Hemstead and many dog friends.  June is predeceased by her parents and sister, Virginia A. Hemstead.

Friends and relatives are invited to attend a graveside service on Tuesday September 7, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. in Hull Cemetery, 400-432 Redding Rd. (route 53) Redding.

To offer online condolences please visit www.boutonfuneralhome.com.

Donations may be made in June's memory to the Canine Health Foundation, Greyhound or Afghan Donor Advised funds.   Donations by check should be addressed to "AKC Canine Health Foundation" and the notes field could indicate "Greyhound Club of America Donor Advised Fund" or "Afghan Hound Club of America Donor Advised Fund".

The mailing address is:

AKC Canine Health Foundation

8051 Arco Corporate Drive, Suite 300

Raleigh, NC 27617

Alternatively, you can use the online form here to direct donations in memory of an individual to a donor advised fund: https://www.akcchf.org/donate2015/DAF-donate.html