Washington County, WI – A winding road brought June Schroeder and Mike McCormick together in life and love, and ultimately, to Cedar Community.
Mike and his younger sister were born into a military family in Kansas City, Missouri. As most military families, they moved many times and lived in places including Alaska, Illinois, Florida, Kansas, and Texas. Mike remembers going to kindergarten in Fairbanks, Alaska, and recalls the Northern Lights, driving across the frozen tundra, and temperatures
consistently being 60 degrees below zero.
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Mike’s father spent his career in the U.S. Air Force and was a crew chief on C-47s in Burma during World War II. When Mike was two years old, his dad put him in the seat of a C-47 plane—and a pilot was born! When he was 12 years old he joined the Civil Air Patrol, eventually enlisting in the Army and attending West Point Preparatory School. But Mike
wanted, more than anything, to be a helicopter pilot. In 1968 he was sent to Vietnam, where he logged 1,030 flight hours. He believes the way he flew is what kept him alive—flying about 50 feet or less above the ground between openings in the trees. His helicopter took fire twice, but happily, he safely emerged both times. Eventually he was
commissioned as an officer and went on to finish his college degree. Mike served in the Army for a total of 21 years, with duty stations in Europe and the United States. During his time as a helicopter pilot he was decorated—receiving a total of 19 medals. Later, while serving at Fort Sheridan, a shipment of new computers arrived, which he unboxed, studied,
set up, and taught others to use. After discharge he did computer networking and programming for various businesses, and was also a commercial helicopter pilot. In his spare time, he hosted a website for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder.
On November 6, 2021, the anniversary of his enlistment in 1966, Mike was privileged to participate in an Honor Flight. It had been scheduled twice previously, but cancelled due to COVID. He was also awarded a Quilt of Valor. Our country owes him a debt of gratitude for his faithful and brave service.
June was born in Milwaukee and has one younger brother. As a child she loved math and science, and when her father died while she was in high school, she helped to supplement the family income, working a variety of jobs. During this time she discovered that caregiving was her lifelong calling. She earned her nursing degree from the University of
Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1969 and went on to serve in the spinal cord injury unit at the Milwaukee VA Medical Center.
She discovered she enjoyed working with older adults, and eventually went on to become a supervisor at the Milwaukee Rehabilitation Nursing Home. Her natural leadership skills provided her the opportunity to become director of economic security for the Wisconsin Nurses Association. She gave speeches, negotiated contracts, and addressed grievances. June welcomed the challenges, continuously assessed her skills, explored non-traditional roles, and took risks to use her God-given talents.
In 1978, June attended a seminar presented by financial planner, Tom Wargin, which opened her eyes to the great need for financial wellness—especially for women. June became a Certified Financial Planner™ and went into business with Tom. In 1981, they founded Women’s Financial Services, a fee-only financial planning firm—which later became Liberty Financial Group. She just recently sold her half of the business to her protégé and long-time employee, but she continues to serve a few of her clients. Over the years she helped many individuals achieve financial independence—including nurses, women, seniors, and many others. June hosted her own radio show, wrote for various publications, and often appeared as a guest on television. Fun fact—June also owned two Workout Express Fitness Clubs for six years!
Appropriately, June met Mike at the airport when he was giving her secretary a helicopter ride.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of the store about Mike and June in Cedar Community’s LIVE MORE magazine.