Honorable June A. Short, 32°
(Apr 25, 1923 - Feb 7, 2018)
The Honorable June A. Short, Jr., 94, of Independence, MO, passed away February 7, 2018. A life-long resident, he was born on April 25, 1923, in Independence. He was the son of June A. Short, Sr. and Mildred Short.

Judge Short was a graduate of William Chrisman High School, Graceland College in the class of 1943-46 and the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1948 with a bachelor's. He attended night school and graduated from the Kansas City University of Law, now the University of Missouri at Kansas City. While in law school he was a methods and standards engineer. He also attended college at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. During World War II, Judge Short served as weatherman with the U.S. Army Air Corps, now the U.S. Air Force.

During the war he was in Saipan, Guam, Hawaii, teaching combat swimming, and Iwo Jima. He was awarded battle stars for the ground offensive of Iwo Jima and the Air Battle for Japan. While he attended Law School, he worked at the Lake City arms plant.

He was active in the practice of law for over 65 years at Liberty and Lexington. He served as an Assistant Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney for 7 years and was the last elected City Attorney for the City of Independence for 2 years and served for many years on the Jackson County Counselors' Staff. He also served 11 years as Judge of the Municipal Division of the Circuit Court for Jackson County. He was a member of the Missouri Bar Association, the Eastern Jackson County Bar Association, the Lawyer-Pilot Bar Association, the Missouri Pilots Association, the American Bar Association, and the Missouri Municipal and Associate Judge Association. He was a life member of Delta Theta Phi Law fraternity. He was past President of the Eastern Jackson County Young Democrat Club. He was a long time member the American Legion Post 21, and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1000.

He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of Independence Lodge 76 of the Scottish Rite and York Rite Bodies. He a member of Ararat Shrine and a member of Court 54 of the Royal Order of Jesters. June was an active member of the Episcopal Resurrection Church in Blue Springs, serving as Lector. He was active with the Diocese of West Missouri and was bestowed with that organization's Bishop Shield award. June held a commercial pilot license for many years with multi-engine, seaplane, and instrument ratings. He flew his own Beechcraft Bonanza for 20 years. He was a member of the Possum Trot Air Force. Besides his family, June enjoyed flying, fishing, sailing, working on his computer and traveling. He also loved to play golf and played until he was 90.

He is survived by his wife Joan Gromer Short, his son James Jeffrey Short of Frankfort, KY, his daughter Nancy and husband Norman Blake of Rising Fawn, GA, daughter-in-law, Sara L. Short of Lufkin, TX, step daughter Jamie and her husband David Tiller of Tampa, FL, stepson Michael J. Reusing and his partner Gina Guest of St Joseph, MO, step daughter Gall and her husband Kris Wohlcke of Lancaster, CA, four grandchildren, two great children, 5 step grandchildren and six step great grandchildren.