AMHERST - June (Sherman) McCullough, 84, died Sunday, Sept. 7, 2008, at the Center for Extended Care at Amherst after a long illness.

Born June 15, 1924, in Detroit, she moved to Amherst with her parents, Lawrence and Grace (Tibbetts) Sherman in 1939.

A 1942 graduate of Amherst High School, she was active in many alumni functions and assisted with the planning for the 65th reunion of her classmates last year.

Mrs. McCullough was a 66-year member of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. She served many times in leadership positions within that organization, including as president of the Earl J. Sanders Post 754 Auxiliary in Amherst, the District 13 presidency, and as head of the group's former Western Counties Council.

She previously held a number of statewide chairmanships, including committees dealing with Americanism efforts and providing aid and funds to both cancer researchers and patients.

Over the years, she was an active volunteer, logging thousands of hours at the Holyoke Soldiers' Home and the Veterans Administration facilities in Leeds. She lost her only sibling, her brother, Staff Sgt. Harry F. Sherman, during World War II and was involved in a number of groups organizing tours to Europe for survivors and next-of-kin of others who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mrs. McCullough traveled extensively, particularly to the Netherlands where her brother is buried. Immediately upon graduation from Amherst High School, she served as a switchboard operator in the Department of Commerce in Washington, and returning to this area, worked as a grinding machine operator at American Bosch. Her part of the war effort also included sewing ammunition belts at the old Springfield Armory.

The longest part of her working life was spent as a telephone operator at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Retiring after more than 30 years, she worked part-time at the UMass Five College Federal Credit Union until earlier this year.

Her husband of nearly 40 years, Calvin C. McCullough, died in 1986.

Mrs. McCullough leaves a daughter, Paula Barrows, of Hadley, with whom she had recently resided; a son, Brian McCullough, of Marion, S.C.; five granddaughters; three great-granddaughters; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be Tuesday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m., at the Douglass Funeral Home in Amherst, with burial following in North Amherst Cemetery. Calling hours will be today, Monday, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Department of Mass., Ladies Auxiliary VFW Headquarters, 940 Belmont St., Building 22, Room 107A, Brockton, MA 02301.

Obituary and memorial register at www.douglassfuneral.com.